PRESBYTERY  OF  UTICA 


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Centennial 


1843-1943 


Cibrar;^  of  trhe  trheolo^ical  ^emmarjp 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 


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PRESENTED  BY 

Herbert  N.    Baird 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/presbyteryofuticOOpres 


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SEP  28  1943 


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PRESBYTERY  OF  UTICA 


Centennial 


IS43'I94B 


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This  brochure  of  the  Centennial  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica  is  not 
intended  to  be  a  detailed  history.  That  would  require  a  much  larger 
volume.  However,  it  is  hoped  that  the  data  here  presented  may  add 
to  a  deeper  appreciation  and  a  clearer  understanding  of  the  religious 
institutions  of  this  region. 

Some  of  the  churches  first  organized  in  this  vicinity  have  bee» 
dissolved.  This  was  not  due,  of  course,  to  any  lack  or  failure  on  their 
part.  Rapidly  changing  conditions  in  population  and  more  particu- 
larly the  improved  means  of  communication  made  their  functioning 
no  longer  necessary.  They  served  their  day  and  ceased  to  be.  All 
honor  is  due  them  for  the  fine  service  they  rendered  when  it  was  most 
needed. 

The  local  churches  that  are  now  active  have  witnessed  many  tran- 
sitions. During  their  history,  they  have  lived  through  five  wars; 
survived  fires,  depressions,  panics  and  rapid  changes  in  population. 
Nevertheless,  they  have  borne  a  constant  and  faithful  witness  to  the 
true  and  living  God.  In  season  and  out,  they  have  called  men  and 
women  to  the  ways  of  righteousness,  mercy,  justice  and  peace. 

We  gratefully  recall  the  human  side  of  the  story.  Many  persons 
of  sterling  Christian  character  have  poured  their  sacrifice,  devotion 
and  loyalty  into  the  churches  of  this  Presbytery.  They  were  not  found 
wanting  in  serving  the  spiritual,  the  educational  or  social  needs  of 
their  respective  communities.  In  the  light  of  their  splendid  labors, 
we  rise  up  to  call  them  blessed  forevermore. 

Strengthened  and  inspired  by  the  God  they  worshipped  and  served, 
we  look  to  the  future.  In  the  midst  of  a  confused,  troubled  and  war- 
weary  world,  we  must  press  on  in  the  tasks  of  Christ's  kingdom.  In  a 
world  that  is  mightily  shaken,  let  us  strive  the  more  to  advance  the 
things  of  faith,  hope  and  love;  building  upon  that  foundation  that 
can  not  be  shaken,  even  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

John  Boyce,  Editor. 


OFFICERS  OF  PRESBYTERY 

1942-1943 

Moderator — Elder  F.  Stanley  Roberts 

Stated  Clerk — Reverend  Herbert  Nelson  Baird 

Recording  Clerk — Reverend  Frank  E.  Magor 

Treasurer — Elder  John  A.  Jenkins 


CENTENNIAL  COMMITTEE 

Reverend  Harold  Worden  Wylie,  Chairman 

Reverend  S.  Carlyle  Adams 

Reverend  Herbert  Nelson  Baird 

Reverend  John  Boyce 

Elder  Donald  B.  Durham,  Ph.D. 

Elder  R.  Morris  Williams 

CENTENNIAL  BOOK 

Mr.  Baird  Mr.  Williams 

Mr.  Boyce,  Editor 

WORSHIP  SERVICE 

Mr.  Adams 

CENTENNIAL  PAGEANT 

Mr.  Wylie  Dr.  Durham 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

History  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Oneida  and  Utica 9 

The  Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 51 

Roll  of  the  Ministers,  Presbytery  of  Utica * 54 

History  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  (Welsh)  56 

History  of  The  Utica  Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions!. 64 

Histories  of  the  Churches  70 

Centennial  Program  ^ 126 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

Winter  Meeting  of  Presbytery,  1943 ^ Frontispiece 


First  Presbyterian  Church,  Whitesboro 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  New  Hartford. 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Ilion 

Penycaerau    , 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Oneida 

Cochran  Memorial  Church,  Oneida  Castle. 

Stone  Church,  Clinton  

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Utica ^.. 

Olivet  Church,  Utica  ...^ 

Moriah  Church,  Utica  

The  Octagon  Church,  Little  Falls 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Verona 

Westminster  Church,  Utica  (interior)  

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Lowville 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Augusta 


.facing  page  16 

.facing  page  16 

-facing  page  32 

.facing  page  32 

.facing  page  48 

.facing  page  48 

.facing  page  64 

.facing  page  64 

-facing  page  80 

.facing  page  80 

.L page  86 

-facing  page  96 

.facing  page  96 

-facing  page  112 

.facing  page  112 


f 


o^  Oftedda  and  ^tioa 

By  Rev.  Herbert  N.  Baird 


ON  February  14,  1943,  the  Presbytery  of  Utica  reached  the  ven- 
erable age  of  100  years,  but  her  history  in  reality  goes  back  to  the 
beginnings  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  area  now  allotted 
to  the  Presbytery.  In  1791  the  Presbytery  of  Albany  records  the  name 
of  Whitestown  in  a  long  list  of  churches  or  groups  of  people  which  have 
presented  "petitions  for  supplies  of  preaching."  Three  years  later  the 
Church  at  Whitesboro  was  received  and  Bethuel  Dodd  was  ordained  and 
installed  as  its  pastor.  Growth  was  rapid,  so  that  the  General  Assembly 
of  180.2  directed  that  the  Presbytery  of  Albany  be  divided  into  three 
presbyteries  to  be  known  as  Albany,  Columbia,  and  Oneida.  The  latter 
was  composed  of  that  part  of  the  old  Presbytery  of  Albany  which  lay 
west  of  the  eastern  line  of  the  counties  of  Otsego  and  Herkimer  and 
included  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Peter  Fish  of  Holland  Patent,  John  Lindsley 
of  Ovid,  Bethuel  Dodd  of  Whitesboro,  Isaac  Lewis  of  Cooperstown, 
Jedediah  Chapman,  late  of  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  and  Samuel 
Snowden,  late  of  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick. 

This  Presbytery  of  Oneida  met  by  direction  of  the  Assembly  in  the 
Church  at  Whitesborough  on  September  7,  1802.  At  this  first  meeting 
five  new  congregations  were  received:  the  Congregational  Church  at 
New  Hartford,  which  also  called  Mr.  Snowden  as  its  pastor;  the  con- 
gregations at  Palmyra  and  Lyons  in  Ontario  County;  those  of  Wash- 
ington and  Romulus  in  Cayuga  County.  The  churches  under  the  care 
of  the  Presbytery  at  the  close  of  its  first  session  were: 

Oneida  County:  Whitesborough  and  Utica,  New  Hartford,  Trenton. 

Otsego  County:  Cooperstown,  Cherry  Valley,  Springfield. 

Herkimer  County:  Little  Falls. 

Ontario  County:  Geneva,  Palmyra,  Lyons. 

Cayuga  County:  Washington,  Romulus,  Ovid,  Ulysses. 

Steuben  County:  Bath. 

Tioga  County:  Painted  Post. 


ONEroA  AND  Utica  Presbyteries 

To  serve  these  sixteen  churches  in  seven  counties  there  were  six  min- 
isters, with  the  result  that  all  had  many  responsibilities  outside  their 
own  parishes.  Even  then  some  of  the  churches  had  only  two  or  three 
Sundays  of  ministerial  service  in  the  year,  as  at  Springfield,  Palmyra,  and 
Little  Falls. 

It  was  a  great  responsibility  which  fell  upon  the  little  presbytery  in 
the  rapidly  growing  area  of  Central  New  York,  but  it  was  a  responsibility 
which  was  accepted  with  great  seriousness  and  zeal.  When  Mr.  Dodd 
was  elected  first  commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly,  he  was  instructed 
to  ask  for  "such  books  as  will  be  proper  to  be  read  in  vacant  congrega- 
tions on  the  Sabbath."  He  was  also  instructed  to  ask  that  the  three  new 
presbyteries  be  constituted  as  the  Synod  of  Albany  and  that,  "consider- 
ing the  peculiar  circumstances  of  the  infant  settlements  constituting  this 
presbytery,  that  we  be  exempted  from  contributions  for  a  few  years." 
During  the  entire  existence  of  the  Presbytery  no  small  part  of  its  concern 
was  supplying  the  feeble  and  destitute  churches  and  maintaining  a 
missionary  to  work  among  the  communities  that  had  no  churches.  It 
was  this  work  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  many  new  congrega- 
tions and  required  repeated  divisions  of  the  Presbytery.  Evidently  one 
of  the  prime  movers  in  the  early  missionary  zeal  of  the  Presbyter}^  was 
Rev.  Bethuel  Dodd,  who  was  commissioned  in  February  1804,  to  make 
a  missionary  tour. 

The  Presbytery's  rapid  growth  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that  five 
months  after  its  organization  the  church  at  Sodus  was  received  and  a 
Seneca  congregation  was  authorized.  Phelps,  not  previously  recorded, 
presented  a  call  to  Mr.  Lindsley. 

The  following  year,  February  24,  1804,  the  first  licentiate  of  the 
Presbytery  was  ordained,  Josiah  Knight.  He  was  ordained  at  Sherburne 
by  an  ecclesiastical  council  of  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  ministers 
with  the  consent  of  the  Presbytery,  of  which  he  was  enrolled  as  a  member 
although  he  accepted  a  call  to  be  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church 
at  Sherburne. 

The  Presbytery  appointed  a  committee  very  early  to  examine  the 
credentials  of  traveling  preachers  and  to  permit  them  to  preach  in  any 
vacant  congregation  when  found  satisfactory.  From  the  attention  paid 
in  Presbytery  to  this  committee  there  were  evidently  a  considerable 
number  of  ministers  of  this  type;  and,  while  ministerial  help  was 
urgently  needed  and  cordially  welcomed,  it  was  not  felt  that  improperly 

10 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

trained  or  unqualified  men  should  be  permitted  in  pulpits  under  the  care 
of  the  Presbytery. 

Considerable  attention  was  also  paid  to  the  qualifications  for  church 
membership.  In  February,  1805,  the  Presbytery  adopted  a  plan  for  the 
admission  of  members  into  the  churches  under  its  care: 

"1.  It  is  the  duty  of  Sessions  to  examine  candidates  for  admission 
into  the  Church  as  to  soundness  in  the  faith — a  work  of  grace  on  the 
heart — and  practical  piety.  And  none  shall  be  received  but  such  as 
give  Scriptural  evidence  of  regeneration  and  evangelical  faith  and 
holiness 

"2.  When  members  from  other  churches  apply  for  admission, 
besides  requiring  letters  of  recommendation,  it  is  expedient  that  the 
Sessions  of  the  churches  under  the  care  of  this  Presbytery  make  such 
inquiries  regarding  their  faith  and  practice  as  shall  afford  them  satis- 
factory evidence  of  their  faith  and  practice. 

"3.  That  the  Church  may  be  guarded  as  much  as  possible  against 
the  introduction  of  improper  characters,  candidates  for  admission  shall 
be  propounded,  at  least,  two  weeks  before  they  be  admitted  into  the 
church. 

"4.  All  persons  about  to  be  admitted  into  any  church,  having 
been  examined,  propounded  for  two  weeks,  and  approved  by  the  Session, 
shall  adopt  before  the  Congregation  the  following  abstract  of  the 
■Confession  of  Faith  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  or  the  Confession  of 
Faith  itself,  accompanied  with  the  following  form  of  covenant  obliga- 
tions." 

Here  followed  twelve  questions  dealing  with:  1.  One  Sovereign  God; 
2.  The  Scriptures  as  Divine  Revelation;  3.  The  Trinity;  4.  The  Fall; 
5.  Christ,  the  Savior;  6.  Human  Depravity;  7.  Salvation  by  Faith; 
8.  Regeneration  as  necessary  to  church  membership;  9.  Obligation  to 
keep  the  Moral  Law;  10.  Promises  of  the  Gospel  limited  to  sincere 
believers;  11.  Divine  source  of  the  Church  and  Sacrament;  12.  Resur- 
rection of  the  dead. 

The  Covenant 

''You  do  now  solemnly  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Father,  Son,  and 
Hdy  Ghost,  to  be  your  God;  and,  renouncing  all  ungodliness  and  every 
worldly  lust,  unreservedly  dedicate  yourself  to  Him,  and  to  His  service 
forever. 

11 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"You  rely  on  the  righteousness  and  atonement  of  Christ  alone  for 
pardon  and  acceptance  with  God.  You  cordially  accept  Jesus  Christ 
as  your  King  and  your  Savior — and  the  Holy  Ghost  as  your  Sanctifier 
and  Comforter. 

"You  receive  God's  Holy  Word  as  the  only  infallible  rule  of  faith  and 
practice — and  solemnly  engage,  by  the  help  of  Divine  grace,  to  conform 
to  it,  by  living  soberly,  and  righteously,  and  godly  in  the  world. 

"You  promise  diligently  to  attend  on  all  the  Institutions  of  the 
Gospel,  especially  publick  worship,  and  the  strict  observance  of  the 
holy  Sabbath. 

"You  engage  to  maintain  family  and  secret  prayer — to  give  up  your 
children  to  God  in  baptism — to  educate  and  govern  them,  and  labor  to 
train  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

"You  covenant  to  walk  in  brotherly  love  with  this  church — to  watch 
over  and  admonish  the  brethren — to  submit  to  government  and  discipline 
as  here  dispensed — and  to  live  so  as  to  give  no  reasonable  ground  of 
offense. 

"You  do  publickly  engage  to  assist,  according  to  your  ability,  in 
supporting  the  institutions  and  interests  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in 
this  Society. 

"You  do  also  promise  that  you  will  endeavor  to  recommend  our 
holy  religion  to  all  by  faithfully  practicing  justice,  goodness,  mercy, 
temperance,  patience,  and  charity. 

"All  this  you  promise  and  covenant  in  humble  dependence  on  the 
assistance  of  Divine  grace,  earnestly  praying  that  God  may  enable  you 
to  be  faithful  and  steadfast  in  his  covenant." 

Perhaps  such  a  covenant  would  stand  little  chance  of  adoption  today 
because  of  a  fear  that  it  would  frighten  off  prospective  church  members; 
and  it  goes  far  beyond  any  requirement  of  the  present  Constitution  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.  Yet,  it  does  not  appear  to 
have  worked  adversely  in  the  days  when  it  was  in  force  and  it  is  possible 
that  it  kept  some  unworthy  professors  from  the  communion  and  brought 
a  greater  realization  of  the  significance  of  their  membership  to  those 
who  were  received. 

By  1805  the  Presbytery  had  became  so  scattered  through  the  organ- 
ization of  new  churches  across  the  western  part  of  the  State  that  it  was 
divided  by  the  General  Assembly,  at  its  own  request;  and  the  Presbytery 

12 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

of  Geneva  was  created  to  care  for  the  western  portion  of  New  York. 
The  new  boundaries  of  Oneida  Presbytery  were  then  the  eastern  line  of 
the  counties  of  Herkimer  and  Otsego;  the  western  line  of  the  counties 
of  Chenango  and  Oneida.  From  the  churches  subsequently  received  it 
appears  that  to  the  north  it  extended  to  the  Canadian  border  and  on  the 
south  included  the  area  now  in  the  Presbytery  of  Otsego,  which  was  set 
off  in  1819.  Another  division  came  in  1822,  when  the  Presbytery  of 
Oswego  was  constituted,  six  years  after  the  Synod  received  the  first 
request  for  such  action.  These  divisions,  and  others  requested  and  not 
granted,  were  the  result  of  great  distances  and  the  time  consumed  in 
travel,  in  the  detailed  supervision  of  the  churches,  and  in  action  on 
appeals  brought  before  the  Presbytery.  It  was  not  unusual  for  Pres- 
bytery to  meet  in  February  for  four  days,  adjourn  for  three  in  March, 
then  for  two  in  April,  and  to  hold  meetings  of  one  or  more  days'  duration 
each  month  in  the  year.  On  occasions  when  extensive  judicial  hearings 
were  held  this  was  exceeded  by  many  days. 

The  earlier  advances  in  the  spiritual  development  of  the  area  were 
to  a  large  extent  checked  by  the  effects  of  the  War  of  1812.  In  the 
narrative  on  the  State  of  Religion  for  1813,  we  read,  "The  war  has  had 
a  very  evil  effect,  especially  on  people's  minds,  which  are  turned  away 
from  the  one  thing  needful.  Political  discussions  are  paramount  to 
every  other  thing.  This  we  exceedingly  deplore  and  pray  that  it  may 
eventuate  in  a  wider  spread  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom."  The  situation 
seems  to  have  continued  for  some  years,  since  in  June  of  1822  the  Pres- 
bytery set  aside  an  hour  for  prayer  because  a  smaller  number  of  churches 
than  usual  had  been  visited  with  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  no 
marked  change  appears  in  the  narratives  of  religion  until  1826. 


Home  Missions* 

The  Presbytery  was  keenly  aware  of  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  rapidly 
growing  population  of  the  area  under  its  supervision.  From  the  first 
meeting  of  the  Presbytery,  attention  was  paid  to  this  matter;  and  in 
1815  the  committee  on  missions  of  the  General  Assembly  was  notified 
that  there  was  "an  extensive  tract  of  country  where  missionary  labors 
are  needed,  namely — the  settlements  north  of  the  Mohawk  River  in 
Herkimer  County  and  the  north  and  northwest  parts  of  Oneida  County." 


*From  this  point  the  history  is  arranged  topically,  rather  than  chronologically. 
An  outline  will  be  found  at  the  end  of  this  article. 

13 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

The  Presbytery  requested  that  this  "extensive  and  destitute  region  may 
receive  such  missionary  aid  as  its  situation  requires  in  consistency  with  a 
due  regard  to  other  parts  of  our  country. 

"If  the  Committee  of  Missions  should  not  appoint  a  missionary  to 
labor  in  these  destitute  settlements,  the  Presbytery  request  that  they 
may  be  authorized  to  employ  one  or  more  missionaries  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  General  x^ssembly.  The  Presbytery  would  also  recommend 
the  Revd.  Oliver  Wetmore  and  the  Revd.  David  R.  Dixon  as  suitable 
persons  to  be  employed  as  missionaries." 

Four  years  later  the  Presbytery  was  formed  as  a  Missionary  Society 
for  the  principal  object  of  supplying  the  vacant  churches  and  the  desti- 
tute parts  in  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery.  In  order  to  effect  this  object 
it  was  resolved:  "That  the  several  ministers  belonging  to  the  Presbytery 
be  appointed  to  labor  as  missionaries  annually  within  its  bounds  so  long 
as  it  is  consistent  with  their  other  duties ;  that  such  other  measures  shall 
be  adopted  from  time  to  time  as  Presbytery  may  deem  proper;  that 
collections  be  made  annually  in  each  of  our  congregations  for  missionary 
purposes;  that  vacancies  shall  receive  missionary  aid  in  proportion  to 
their  means  and  their  own  efforts  to  aid  themselves;  that  a  committee 
be  appointed  to  employ  missionaries  and  to  manage  the  missionary 
concerns  within  our  bounds."  The  following  year  this  missionary  society 
was  made  auxiliary  to  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  General  Assembly. 

Numerous  associations  for  home  missions  were  combined  for  greater 
efficiency  and  economy  at  a  convention  held  in  Utica  in  1822  in  the 
"United  Domestic  Missionary  Society,"  which  operated  in  Central  and 
Western  New  York.  In  1826  it  was  superseded  by  the  "American  Home 
Missionary  Society."  The  same  year  the  "Western  Domestic  Missionary 
Society"  was  formed  at  Utica;  though  nominally  in  connection  with  the 
American  Home  Missionary  Society,  it  raised  and  expended  its  own 
funds  and  commissioned  its  own  missionaries.  In  1829  it  had  eleven 
missionaries  within  Oneida  Presbytery. 

By  1818  "Female  Cent  Societies"  and  prayer  meetings  had  been 
formed  in  most  of  our  congregations,  according  to  the  Albany  Synod 
Narrative  of  Religion.  The  "Female  Missionary  Society  of  the  Western 
District,"  formed  at  Utica  in  1817,  "carried  on  operations  for  itself  until 
1827,  when  it  became  an  auxiliary  to  the  Western  Domestic  Missionary 
Society."  In  1822  it  reported  fifty  branches,  eleven  missionaries,  and 
nearly  $2,000  of  collections.  The  Rev.  Charles  Finney  began  his  min- 
istry with  a  commission  from  it,  and  while  in  its  service  ushered  in  the 

14 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

series  of  revivals  of  religion  connected  with  him.      (Fowler,  'Tresby- 
terianism  in  Central  New  York,"  p.  120.) 

Youth  also  responded.  "The  Young  People's  Missionary  Society" 
began  its  operations  at  Utica  in  1814  or  1815.  To  it  goes  the  credit  for 
sending  the  Rev.  Miles  P.  Squires,  D.D.,  then  a  licentiate,  into  the 
Buffalo  area,  where  he  founded  and  became  first  pastor  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church. 

No  small  amount  of  time  and  effort  was  given  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Utica  to  the  aiding  of  feeble  churches,  of  which  there  seem  to  have  been 
a  considerable  number,  due  in  part  to  the  scattered  and  sparse  nature 
of  the  population  in  some  of  the  communities,  and  in  part  to  the  zeal 
in  establishing  new  churches  without  due  consideration  to  their  need  or 
to  the  possibility  of  their  continued  existence.  In  an  endeavor  to  meet 
the  situation  thus  arising,  efforts  were  made  as  early  as  1847  to  unite 
nearby  churches,  and  to  form  others  into  groups  to  be  served  by  a 
single  pastor. 

In  1848  the  Presbytery  appointed  a  missionary  committee  with  power 
to  employ  a  Presbyterial  missionary  for  six  months  at  $400  per  annum. 
That  missionary  was  to  raise  as  much  of  his  own  salary  as  possible 
among  the  churches  he  served  and  from  benevolent  individuals;  and 
the  committee  was  instructed  to  assess  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery 
to  care  for  any  deficiency.  Six  months  later  the  committee  reported 
that  it  had  been  unable  to  obtain  a  missionary,  and  the  Presbytery 
increased  the  salary  to  $500.  A  year  later,  still  without  a  missionary, 
it  was  decided  to  apply  to  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society  for 
an  annual  grant  of  $300  toward  the  support  of  such  a  missionary;  and 
it  was  also  decided  that  if  the  Society  "decline  to  make  the  aforesaid 
appropriation,  the  churches  in  this  Presbytery  be  requested  to  appro- 
priate their  collections  for  Home  Missions  to  his  support." 

Evidently  this  move  failed,  for  in  1850  there  was  set  up  a  Presby- 
terial missionary  organization  to  cooperate  with  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society,  and  the  needy  churches  were  invited  to  apply  to 
the  Presbytery's  Committee  for  financial  aid.  It  was  further  provided 
that  Home  Mission  funds,  beyond  that  needed  for  the  work  within  the 
Presbytery,  be  paid  to  the  American  Society. 

In  1860  the  agitation  for  a  Presbyterial  missionary  was  revived  that 
he  might  supply  the  destitute  churches  and  occupy  promising  vacant 
fields  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery.    A  committee  was  appointed 

IS 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbytekies 

for  the  purpose,  and  they  were  authorized  to  "correspond  with  sister 
presbyteries,  if  they  deem  it  best  to  obtain  their  cooperation  in  the 
performance  of  this  work  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  Synod  of  Utica." 

In  1861  the  Presbytery  resolved,  "that  we  will  cordially  cooperate 
in  the  arrangements  made  by  the  last  General  Assembly  for  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  work  of  Home  Missions: 

"That  we  request  the  churches  under  our  care  to  make  their  con- 
tributions to  Home  Missions  through  the  Committee  of  the  General 
Assembly,  and  that  we  earnestly  enjoin  it  upon  them  to  enlarge  their 
liberality  in  view  of  the  greatly  increased  trust  now  committed  to  us, 
and  the  increased  wants  of  our  feeble  churches,  and  of  our  beloved  land. 

"That  we  close  our  cooperation  with  the  American  Home  Missionary 
Society,  grateful  for  its  organization  and  for  the  benefits  it  has  conferred 
on  this  country,  and  for  our  participation  in  its  work,  and  that  we  will 
pray  for  its  prosperity  still. 

"That  we  part  from  our  late  associates  in  the  Home  Missionary  work, 
happy  in  the  memory  of  our  connection  with  them,  while  it  is  due  to 
frankness  to  say  that  we  regret  their  refusal  even  to  confer  with  us 
about  an  equitable  disposition  of  the  partnership  which  they  as  well  as 
we  believed  could  not  be  usefully  maintained  together." 

Under  a  Presbyterian  Board  of  Home  Missions  the  work  of  caring 
for  the  weaker  churches  seemed  to  go  more  favorably.  About  1880  a 
Synodical  missionary  was  appointed,  toward  whose  support  the  Pres- 
bytery contributed  $300  annually.  In  the  last  decade  of  the  19th 
century  the  Home  Mission  Committee  of  the  Presbytery  was  responsible 
for  the  organization  of  new  churches  at  Glendale,  Northwood,  Dolge- 
ville,  and  Old  Forge.  The  latter  was  the  work  of  the  Southern  Adiron- 
dack Mission  for  which  the  Rev.  R.  Howard  Wallace  was  engaged  as 
missionary.  Subsequently  the  church  at  Inlet  was  organized  as  part 
of  the  same  work,  with  preaching  appointments  at  various  other  points 
in  the  Central  Adirondacks. 

In  1851  Mr.  William  Brewer  of  Litchfield  signified  his  interest  in 
arranging  a  bequest  for  Presbyterial  Home  Missions,  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  confer  with  him.  The  result  of  that  conference  is  the 
Brewer  Fund,  which  came  into  being  upon  the  probate  of  the  will  of 
Mr.  Brewer  in  1856.  Under  the  terms  of  the  will,  the  interest  from  the 
Fund  is  to  be  used  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  in  the  Litchfield  Church, 
as  long  as  the  church  shall  remain  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  and 
maintain  regular  services  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.    In  the  event 

16 


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Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

of  the  failure  of  that  church  to  comply  with  the  terms  of  the  bequest, 
the  Presbytery  may  use  the  funds  for  the  support  of  any  Presbyterian 
Church;  as  was  done  for  one  brief  period. 


Plan  of  Union 

This  missionary  zeal  was  responsible  for  the  close  relationship  of 
cooperation  and  harmony  which  prevailed  in  the  early  days  between 
the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  Churches.  The  General  Assem- 
bly and  the  New  England  Associations  joined  continually  in  missionary 
work  within  the  new  settlements  with  little  attention  to  denomina- 
tionalism.  Presbyterian  missionaries  organized  Congregational  churches 
wherever  circumstances  called  for  them,  and  Congregational  mission- 
aries organized  Presbyterian  churches.  Presbyteries  directed  Congre- 
gational missionaries  to  their  places  and  districts  of  labor,  and  often 
they  ordained  pastors  for  Congregational  churches.  In  all  this  the 
laymen  seem  to  have  been  more  denominationally  minded  than  the 
clergy,  and  many,  if  not  most,  of  the  problems  that  arose  in  Oneida 
Presbytery  from  these  close  associations  were  prompted  by  the  laity. 

In  1801,  just  a  year  before  Oneida  Presbytery  was  created,  the 
General  Assembly  and  the  General  Association  of  Connecticut  adopted 
"The  Plan  of  Union."  It  permitted  a  Congregational  church  to  settle 
a  Presbyterian  minister,  according  him  the  right  to  appeal  to  his 
Presbytery  or  to  a  mutual  council  composed  of  an  equal  number  of 
Presbyterian  and  Congregational  members;  and  a  Presbyterian  church 
to  settle  a  Congregational  minister,  allowing  him  the  right  of  appeal  to 
his  Association  or  to  a  mutual  council.  It  allowed  communicants  to 
appeal  to  a  Mutual  Council  or  to  a  Presbytery;  and  delegates  from 
Congregational  churches  were  given  the  right  to  sit  in  presbyteries  as 
ruling  elders. 

In  this  provision  for  Christian  cooperation,  the  greatest  concessions 
were  made  by  the  Congregationalists  who  surpassed  the  Presbyterians 
both  in  numbers  and  resources.  The  Oneida  Association  was  three 
years  older  than  Oneida  Presbytery.  Seven  ministers  and  eight  dele- 
gates from  the  churches  signed  the  articles  at  its  organization,  while 
the  Presbytery  opened  its  first  session  with  only  five  ministers  and  three 
elders.  The  greater  part  of  the  first  churches  formed  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Presbytery  were  Congregational.    The  bulk  of  the  immigrants 

17 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

into  the  region  came  from  among  the  thrifty  and  prosperous  Congrega- 
tionalists  of  New  England,  while  the  Presbyterian  minority  were  dis- 
tinctly poorer  and  less  thrifty. 

However,  the  sentiments  of  the  Congregationalists — particularly 
those  from  Connecticut — toward  Presbyterianism,  the  prevalent  thought 
of  the  missionaries  that  Presbyterianism  was  better  adapted  to  the  new 
country,  the  Plan  of  Union  and  various  local  plans  of  union,  all  acted 
favorably  to  the  Presbyterians  and  virtually  gave  the  field  to  them  in 
the  end.  This,  however,  was  not  the  result  of  any  coercion  on  the  part 
of  the  Presbytery  or  any  other  Presbyterian  body. 

Admirable  as  was  the  spirit  of  the  Plan  of  Union  of  1801,  its  direct 
results  were  disappointing.  Few  churches  were  organized  under  it,  and 
virtually  none  so  organized  survived  at  the  time  of  its  abrogation. 
The  work  for  which  it  was  designed  was  actually  performed  by  other 
plans  of  union,  especially  by  that  known  as  "The  Accommodation 
Plan."  By  this  the  various  Congregational  Associations  were  invited 
to  become  constituent  parts  of  the  Synod  of  Albany  on  the  same  basis 
as  the  Presbyteries.  The  invitation  received  by  the  Middle  Asso- 
ciation, signed  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Snowden,  moderator  of  the 
Synod,  said,  "We  most  cordially  invite  you  to  become  a  constituent 
branch  of  our  body  by  assuming  the  characteristic  and  Scriptural  name 
of  Presbytery,  to  adopt  our  standards  of  doctrine  and  government,  and 
to  sit  and  vote  with  us  on  all  the  great  and  interesting  concerns  of  the 
church.  Deeming  the  name,  however,  far  less  interesting  than  the 
thing,  although  of  consequence  to  uniformity  in  the  same  body,  yet 
should  you  be  solicitous  to  retain  yours,  it  will  not  be  considered  on 
our  part  a  bar  to  such  a  union."  This  plan  was  adopted  by  the  Con- 
gregationalists and  approved  by  the  General  Assembly. 

More  important  in  Oneida  Presbytery  was  the  plan  proposed  to 
the  Oneida  Association  in  1814,  conceding  the  form  of  Congregational 
Church  government  wherever  preferred  and  a  representation  in  Pres- 
bytery, but  requiring  the  full  keeping  of  records  and  their  annual  sub- 
mission to' the  Presbytery  for  examination;  and  while  commending 
"the  right  of  appeal  in  its  full  extent  as  a  valuable  privilege,"  permitting 
any  church  that  so  desired  to  restrict  it  to  Presbytery,  "and  admitting 
the  ministers  of  the  Association  as  constituent  members  of  Presbytery, 
and  in  all  respects  amenable  to  it."  This  was  reaffirmed  with  slight 
variations  in  1821. 

In  1829  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  surrendered  jurisdiction  over 

18 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

individuals  who  did  not  by  their  own  consent  and  choice  place  them- 
selves under  its  care,  and  declared  that  Congregational  churches  con- 
nected with  it  could  reject  the  rules  of  our  directory  in  their  proceed- 
ings, provided  that  they  did  not  violate  the  principles  of  the  Congrega- 
tional form  of  government  and  acted  on  the  practices  of  Congrega- 
tional churches.  Along  with  this  considerable  liberality  in  government, 
there  was  insistence  that  all  churches  received  must  have  adopted 
creeds  or  confessions  of  faith  in  harmony  with  the  doctrines  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church.  In  1822  Oneida  Association  suspended  its 
existence,  most  of  its  ministers  and  churches  uniting  with  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida.    It  was  revived  in  1825. 

Numerous  problems  arose  in  the  practical  administration  of  these 
plans  of  union.  In  some  cases  it  was  the  result  of  displeasure  with  the 
way  the  Presbytery  handled  appeals  from  the  disciplinary  actions  of 
local  Congregational  churches;  in  others  it  was  due  to  refusal  of  some 
members  of  a  Congregational  church  to  abide  by  a  decision  of  a 
majority  to  join  the  Presbytery.  In  some  cases  the  churches  eventually 
withdrew  from  the  Presbytery  to  rejoin  the  Congregational  Association. 
Others  preferred  to  fully  conform  to  the  Presbyterian  polity  and  are 
still  members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

Serious  consequences  were  to  arise  from  these  plans  of  union.  They 
outlived  their  usefulness  as  a  harmonizing  agent  between  the  denomina- 
tional bodies,  and  often  in  later  days  they  became  "the  occasion  of 
discord  and  alienation;  and  besides,  there  was  no  longer  need  of  them. 
Each  denomination  was  able  to  stand  by  itself  in  our  several  com- 
munities, or  was  easily  able  to  provide  for  its  own;  and  church  develop- 
ment was  hindered  by  union,  as  it  impaired  responsibility  and  pre- 
vented the  freedom  everyone  feels  in  his  own  home,  with  no  other 
family  to  share  it  with  him.  And  some  disorders  were  bred  and  some 
corruptions,  from  which  separation  was  the  only  practical  relief,  and 
against  which  it  was  the  only  adequate  security."     (Fowler,  p.  69). 


Christian  Education 

From  an  early  date,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  showed  concern  for 
the  Christian  training  of  children.  In  February  1817,  it  called  upon 
ministers  and  sessions  to  form  Bible  classes  among  the  youth  of  their 
congregations.  In  the  Narrative  of  Religion  at  the  same  session  we 
read,  "Sunday  Schools  are  large  in  some  of  our  societies  and  it  appears 

19 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

that  the  formation  of  Bible  Classes  and  Sunday  Schools  has  been 
instrumental  in  awakening  the  attitude  of  many  parents  to  the  study 
of  religious  truth."  The  following  June,  it  was  found  on  inquiry  that 
the  pastors  present  "had  generally  attended  to  the  formation  of  Bible 
Classes  in  their  respective  churches."  In  1822,  a  committee  appointed 
to  recommend  ways  to  promote  revivals  advised,  among  other  things, 
"that  professing  parents  and  baptized  children  be  assembled  statedly 
and  be  instructed  in  their  reciprocal  duties."  Again  in  1830,  the  duties 
of  a  church  to  its  baptized  children  were  outlined:  "1 — Resolved, 
that  ministers  belonging  to  this  Presbytery  and  the  church  sessions  be 
directed  to  assemble  all  their  baptized  children  of  suitable  age,  at  least 
once  in  three  months,  for  the  purpose  of  prayer,  catechetical  and  other 
religious  instruction,  in  reference  to  their  obligations  as  baptized 
children.  2 — Resolved,  that  the  ministers  belonging  to  this  Presbytery 
preach  at  least  once  a  year,  on  the  subject  of  baptism  and  the  relation 
of  baptized  children  to  the  church.  3 — Resolved,  that  the  foregoing 
resolutions  be  made  a  subject  of  investigation  during  the  winter  sessions 
of  Presbytery." 

The  Western  Education  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York  was 
founded  at  Utica,  in  1818,  to  assist  young  men  in  preparing  for  the 
Christian  ministry.  In  the  first  year,  it  collected  nearly  $30,000.  At 
first  every  Christian  denomination  was  included,  but  the  contributions 
were  returned  to  all  but  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  groups. 
Its  method  of  procedure  was  stated  by  its  directors  in  its  sixth  year 
as  "to  purchase  a  few  acres  of  land  and  to  erect  a  suitable  house  for 
boarding  the  beneficiaries."  They  had  then  acquired  15  acres  of  land 
and  erected  a  house  large  enough  to  accommodate  50  young  men. 
This  house  with  4  acres  of  ground  was  about  seven  rods  north  of 
Hamilton  College,  while  the  remaining  eleven  acres  were  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  farther  north.  Only  students  in  college  were  assisted  and  they 
only  by  the  provision  of  their  board  "in  term  time."  In  1824,  24  young 
men  received  this  help. 

One  of  the  perennial  problems  of  the  Church  seems  to  have  been 
the  securing  of  an  adequate  ministry.  In  1847,  the  Presbytery  took 
bold  action  when  it  recommended  "our  churches  select  and  maintain 
at  least  one  candidate  each  for  the  ministry,  where  it  seems  practical, 
and  where  it  is  not,  annual  contributions  be  taken  up  in  aid  of  the 
Education  Society." 

In  1820,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  voted  to  "cooperate  with  the 
Synod  of  Geneva  in  the  support  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Auburn, 

20 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

agreeably  to  the  Act  of  Incorporation  of  said  Seminary,  passed  by 
the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York,  April  14,  1820,  and  that  two 
ministers  and  one  layman  be  annually  chosen  to  represent  this  Pres- 
bytery in  the  Board  of  Commissioners  for  the  general  superintendance 
of  said  Seminary."  Two  years  later,  directions  were  given  for  collec- 
tions to  be  received  by  the  churches  for  the  support  of  the  Seminary. 
Since  that  time,  the  Presbytery  has  been  continuously  represented  on 
the  Board  of  the  Seminary,  and  it  has  encouraged  its  churches  to  con- 
tribute to  its  support. 

The  Presbytery  long  was  actively  interested  in  the  support  of 
Hamilton  College  and  the  collections  from  the  churches  for  its  support 
have  been  considerable.  Also  endorsed,  because  of  its  work  in  the 
preparatory  training  of  ministerial  candidates  was  the  Oneida  Institute. 
At  one  period,  the  Presbytery  endeavored  to  secure  the  property  of 
the  Whitestown  Seminary  as  a  preparatory  school  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Synod,  but  the  move  failed. 

In  keeping  with  its  interests  in  Christian  Education  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida,  in  1812,  projected  the  Western  Magazine,  afterwards  called 
the  Utica  Christian  Magazine,  and  applied  to  Oneida  Association  for 
cooperation  in  the  venture.  The  two  bodies  superintended  it  for  a 
number  of  years  by  a  jointly  appointed  committee.  In  1822  the  Pres- 
bytery endorsed  the  Utica  Christian  Repository,  which  was  succeeded 
by  the  Western  Recorder  ten  years  later.  The  Sunday  School  Visitant, 
1829,  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  Sunday  School  paper  published 
in  the  country.  It,  with  the  Mother's  Magazine,  was  also  published 
in  Utica. 

A  Tract  Society  was  established  at  Utica  in  1816  and  that  year 
circulated  7,000  tracts.  Subsequently  it  extended  its  operations  over 
the  central  part  of  the  state. 

The  Oneida  County  Bible  Society  was  organized  in  Utica  in  1810, 
and  on  the  organization  of  the  American  Bible  Society  in  1817  became 
tributary  to  it.  A  thousand  copies  of  the  Scriptures  were  distributed 
by  it  in  the  first  year  of  its  existence.  Its  goal  was  to  put  a  Bible  in 
every  home  of  the  twelve  counties  that  it  considered  its  "field."  Both 
of  these  organizations  were  heartily  supported  by  the  Presbytery  and 
its  churches. 


21 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 
Foreign  Missions 

The  first  action  taken  in  support  of  Foreign  Missions  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Utica  was  in  the  appointing  of  a  committee  on  February  6, 
1844  to  arrange  for  a  missionary  convention  for  that  summer  and  to 
correspond  with  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign 
Missions.  The  committee  subsequently  advised  that  it  would  be  wiser 
to  hold  the  first  missionary  meeting  in  connection  with  the  sessions  of 
Synod  at  Rome  in  September,  and  that  this  should  be  followed  by 
"other  meetings  at  such  times  and  places  as  the  friends  of  missions 
should  deem  advisable." 

At  its  meeting  of  April  9,  1872  Presbytery  gave  its  hearty  approval 
to  the  plan  of  organizing  a  Women's  Board  of  Missions  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Presbytery  and  the  ministers  were  directed  to  recommend 
this  object  to  their  several  churches.  In  September  of  1872  notice  was 
taken  that  there  were  then  in  our  Church  two  general  associations  for 
Women's  Work  in  Missions,  one  in  New  York  embracing  the  home 
and  foreign  fields,  and  one  in  Philadelphia  working  in  foreign  lands, 
and  the  Presbytery  recommended  the  formation  of  auxiliaries  in  each 
of  its  congregations,  encouraged  and  helped  by  the  ministers  and  church 
officers.  It  also  declared  "that  it  devolves  on  our  Sunday  Schools  to 
instruct  their  scholars  in  missions  and  to  train  them  in  giving  to  them, 
and  that  the  contribution  to  our  Foreign  Board  of  nearly  $30,000  the 
past  year  by  our  Sunday  Schools  should  show  how  large  an  item  in 
missionary  funds  the  donations  from  children  and  youth  may  become." 
Again  in  1878  the  Presbytery  urged  the  churches  to  organize  Women's 
Foreign  Missionary  Associations. 


Benevolences 

In  the  early  years  of  Oneida  Presbytery,  despite  an  almost  constant 
financial  embarrassment  in  many  churches,  Christian  benevolence  was 
commended  repeatedly  and  constantly.  Standing  committees  were 
appointed  to  devise  means  for  promoting  it  and  to  see  that  it  was 
practiced.  When  the  Presbytery  directed  that  offerings  be  taken  for  a 
cause,  it  subsequently  required  each  pastor  to  report  on  the  compliance 
of  the  church  under  his  care;  neglect  of  the  duty  was  followed  by  strict 
injunction  to  follow  the  direction  of  the  Presbytery.  Not  only  the 
Boards  of  the  General  Assembly  received  this  support,  after  they  were 
organized,  but  many  interdenominational  and  local  organizations. 

22 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

When  we  remember  the  comparative  poverty  of  most  of  the 
churches,  the  benevolent  spirit  is  remarkable.  Ministers  received  part 
of  their  salary  of  $300  or  $400  in  kind,  particularly  in  wood.  There 
seems  to  have  been  considerable  difficulty  in  maintaining  payments. 
Not  only  did  congregations  report  themselves  in  arrears  in  money 
payments,  but  often  they  had  not  delivered  the  full  amount  of  wood 
agreed  upon.  Many  pastoral  dissolutions  occurred  in  the  earlier  days 
of  Oneida  Presbytery  due  to  insufficiency  of  support.  Counterfeit 
currency  was  a  further  problem.  A  difference  between  the  contribu- 
tions claimed  by  the  Presbytery  and  those  received  by  the  General 
Assembly  was  explained  as  due  to  counterfeit  money.     (June  1805). 

In  July  1848  Utica  Presbytery  adopted  "a  more  efficient  plan  for 
raising  contributions  for  benevolent  objects":  (1)  The  year  was 
divided  into  six  periods  of  two  months  each  with  direction  that  one 
contribution  be  taken  to  some  leading  object  of  charity,  and  that  no 
offerings  be  taken  for  other  objects  except  for  special  reasons.  (2)  the 
approved  causes  were,  Ministerial  Education  or  the  Bethel  Cause, 
Foreign  Missions,  American  Tract  Society,  Sabbath  Schools  or  The 
Protestant  Cause,  American  Bible  Society,  Home  Missions.  (3)  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  ascertain  and  report  to  Presbytery  an- 
nually what  churches  have  complied  with  the  recommendation,  the 
amount  contributed,  and  any  other  causes  substituted  for  those  recom- 
mended. The  right  to  substitute  other  objects  was  recognized,  but  it 
was  required  that  the  supervising  committee  be  notified  in  all  such  cases. 

Of  interest,  too,  are  the  "primary  principles  of  Christian  benevo- 
lence," adopted  April  9,  1872:  "1.  All  giving  to  religious  objects  should 
be  as  so  many  acts  of  worship  and  means  of  grace;  2.  Gifts  to  Christian 
beneficence  should  be  frequent  and  systematic;  3.  The  Church  is  God's 
instrument  of  Evangelism  and  with  us,  its  Boards  are  the  proper  chan- 
nels for  religious  contributions;  4.  The  pressing  demands  of  Evangelism, 
and  of  the  Church  for  growth  in  grace  with  her  steady  advance  in 
pecuniary  resources,  unite  in  suggesting  a  large  increase  in  Christian 
giving  as  a  specialty  in  these  times;  5.  Ministers  and  church  sessions 
must  be  relied  upon  to  teach  promptly  and  show  the  people  how  to 
give."  After  calling  attention  to  the  printed  helps  then  available,  the 
"Presbytery  enjoins  it  upon  each  church  under  its  care  to  contribute 
statedly  every  year  to  each  of  the  causes  named  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly." The  Presbytery  further  directed  that  "at  each  Stated  Meeting 
every  church  be  asked,  through  its  minister  or  elder,  whether,  or  to 
what  extent,  this  injunction  is  regarded,  the  answer  to  be  recorded 
on  the  minutes." 

23 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

These  earlier  plans  for  benevolence  gradually  gave  way  to  the 
adoption  of  the  envelope  system  in  most  of  the  Church,  so  that  by  a 
duplex  pledge,  provision  was  made  alike  for  the  support  of  the  local 
church  and  the  benevolent  enterprises.  The  establishment  by  the 
General  Assembly  of  a  unified  benevolence  budget  for  all  causes  under 
its  direction,  and  the  uniting  of  the  Boards  of  the  Church  into  four 
benevolent  agencies  gave  further  impetus  to  the  present  method  of 
such  contributions. 


Moral  and  Social  Reform 

The  Presbytery  showed  a  keen  awareness  of  the  moral  and  social 
problems  of  its  day  and  it  did  not  hesitate  to  come  to  grips  with  them. 
At  some  points  there  has  been  evidence  of  a  decided  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  methods  and  procedure,  but  a  unanimity  of  opposition 
to  the  "sin." 

Sabbath  Observance 

One  of  the  earliest  matters  to  appear  was  that  of  Sabbath  observ- 
ance; and  sessions  were  strictly  and  repeatedly  charged  to  exercise 
discipline  over  violators  in  the  membership  of  their  churches.  Sabbath 
cheese  making  was  long  an  evil  against  which  they  strove,  calling  for  a 
convention  to  take  action  against  this  evil  on  one  occasion  at  Fairfield 
in  1834.  Elaborate  resolutions  denouncing  the  evil,  and  all  those  who 
participated  in  it,  were  adopted  from  time  to  time,  continuing  until  a 
final  reference  is  found  in  the  meeting  of  Utica  Presbytery  in  September 
1872,  when  action  was  taken  to  have  the  Board  of  Publication  print  a 
paper  previously  adopted  (June  28,  1870)  as  a  tract. 

When  the  General  Assembly  of  1812  protested  the  transportation 
and  opening  of  mail  on  the  Sabbath,  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  was  in 
hearty  accord,  and  two  years  later,  on  appeal  of  the  Assembly,  directed 
its  church  sessions  to  get  signatures  to  petitions,  addressed  to  Congress, 
protesting  the  practice.  The  action  was  followed  up  at  the  next  meeting 
by  a  direction  to  delinquent  sessions  to  do  so  at  once. 

Travel  on  the  Lord's  Day  was  condemned,  and  participation  in 
stage  coach  companies  operating  on  Sunday  was  disapproved  for  mem- 
bers of  Presbyterian  churches.  In  1835  the  Presbytery  prepared  a  list 
of  those  who  violated  the  Sabbath  by  travelling  on  that  day:    "1.  Those 

24 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

ministers  who  travel  for  the  purpose  of  exchanges  or  of  supplying  a 
congregation,  except  when  the  congregation  would  otherwise  be  un- 
avoidably destitute;  2.  Those  individuals  who  commence  or  pursue 
their  journies  or  who  make  their  arrangements  to  do  so,  by  any  mode 
of  travelling  whatever,  on  any  part  of  the  Christian  Sabbath;  3.  Those 
individuals  who  own  stock  in  public  conveyance,  roads  or  canals,  or 
are  concerned  in  the  transportation  of  the  mails;  or  in  Post  Offices, 
or  other  employments  when  the  use  of  such  stock  or  the  pursuit  of  such 
occupation  involves  the  transaction  of  secular  business  on  the  Sabbath." 
At  the  same  time  sessions  were  directed  to  discipline  their  members 
for  Sabbath  breaking. 

When  the  Session  at  New  York  Mills  asked  what  action,  if  any, 
should  be  taken  against  a  Church  member  who,  with  his  family,  paid 
a  social  call  on  the  Lord's  Day,  it  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  discipline 
him  for  Sabbath  breaking.  In  1835  the  Session  at  Whitesboro  was 
advised  to  discipline  a  member  of  the  Church  who  had  entered  the 
army  of  the  United  States  because  he  "is  compelled  to  violate  the 
Sabbath  by  beating  on  a  drum." 

Slavery 

Slavery  was  another  social  evil  that  won  vigorous  denunciation, 
but  there  was  serious  difference  of  opinion  as  to  how  emancipation 
could  be  secured.  Agreement  was  evident  until  about  1835,  when 
there  began  to  develop  conservative  and  ultraist  groups.  The  former 
was  moved  by  considerations  of  expediency,  while  the  latter  "were 
violent  and  intolerant,  permitting  no  bounds  to  hostility  to  slavery, 
and  no  difference  from  them  in  opinions  about  suppressing  it,  and 
scarcely  any  sharing  of  interest  between  its  abolition  and  any  other 
good  cause,  and  they  held  back  from  the  destruction  of  nothing  that 
they  thought  a  hindrance  to  it."     (Fowler,  pp.  159-60). 

"Oneida  County  and  the  vicinity  heaved  from  the  agitation.  The 
prime  movers  of  it,  Beriah  Green,  Alvin  Stewart,  Theodore  D.  Weld, 
resided  there,  and  Gerritt  Smith  near  by,  and  they  roused  Church  and 
State.  The  majority  of  Oneida  Presbytery  for  a  time  concurred  with 
them,  and  always  dealt  leniently  with  them.  It  was  impossible,  how- 
ever, to  keep  up  with  their  advance,  and  thinking  the  Presbytery  and 
the  whole  Presbyterian  Church  laggard,  Mr.  Green  and  three  others 
withdrew  to  form  the  Whitesboro  Association.  The  Whitesboro  church, 
in  the  bounds  of  which  Mr.  Green  lived,  was  rent  asunder,  and  the 
section  in  sympathy  with  him  constituted  a  Congregational  Church" 

25 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

(Fowler,  pp.  160-161).  Throughout  its  existence  the  Whitesboro 
.\ssociation  was  an  annoyance  to  the  Presbytery,  and  on  advice  of  the 
Synod,  its  members  were  denied  correspondence,  because  it  was  not 
strictly  an  association  of  ministers  and  churches,  but  received  laymen 
individually  into  its  membership. 

The  slavery  agitation  was  eventually  the  primary  cause  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Oneida  Institute,  founded  by  the  Rev.  John  W.  Gale 
as  a  Manual  Labor  High  School,  especiall}^  for  training  candidates  for 
the  ministry.  It  gathered  a  large  number  of  students  and  achieved 
marked  success,  winning  the  hearty  support  and  approval  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. The  Rev.  Beriah  Green  succeeded  Mr.  Gale  as  the  head  of  the 
Institute,  and  young  men  attracted  by  his  fascinating  personality 
flocked  in  still  greater  numbers  to  the  school,  which  was  drawn  into  the 
fight  for  abolition.  "The  Institute  was  worn  out  by  its  paroxysms  and 
lost  favor  by  its  extravagances;  and,  ready  to  perish,  it  passed  into  the 
nurture  of  the  Free  Will  Baptists"  (Fowler,  p.  162). 

The  slavery  question  was  not  settled  until  it  was  concluded  by  the 
political  abolition,  continuing  to  vex  Utica  Presbytery  as  it  did  that  of 
Oneida;  and,  at  its  first  meeting  on  February  14,  1843,  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  prepare  a  memorial  to  the  General  Assembly  on  the 
subject  of  Slavery,  which  report  was  tabled  until  an  adjourned  meeting 
in  April  at  New  Hartford. 

This  report  was  then  considered  and  adopted  by  a  vote  of  7  to  2. 
Because  of  the  importance  of  the  subject  in  the  history  of  the  Pres- 
bytery the  memorial  is  given: 

"Whereas  the  General  Assembly  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1818  by  a 
solemn  act  did  bear  their  testimony  against  holding  men  in  slavery  in 
the  following  language,  to  wit: 

"  'We  consider  the  voluntary  enslaving  of  one  part  of  the  human 
family  by  another  as  a  gross  violation  of  the  most  precious  and  sacred 
rights  of  human  nature;  as  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  love  of  God 
which  requires  us  to  love  one's  neighbor  as  ourselves  and  as  totally 
irreconcilable  with  the  spirit  and  principles  of  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
which  enjoins  that  all  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do 
to  you  do  ye  even  so  to  them. 

"  'Slavery  creates  a  paradox  in  the  moral  system.  It  exhibits  ra- 
tional accountable  agents,  immortal  beings,  in  such  circumstances  as 
scarcely  to  leave  them  the  form  of  moral  action.     It  exhibits  them 

26 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

as  dependent  on  the  will  of  others:  whether  they  shall  receive  religious 
instruction;  whether  they  shall  know  and  worship  the  true  God; 
whether  they  shall  enjoy  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel;  whether  they 
shall  perform  the  duties  and  cherish  the  endearments  of  husbands  and 
wives,  parents  and  children,  neighbors  and  friends;  whether  they  shall 
preserve  their  chastity  and  purity  or  regard  the  dictates  of  justice  and 
humanity. 

"  'Such  are  the  consequences  of  slavery;  consequences  not  imaginary 
but  which  connect  themselves  with  its  very  existence.  The  evils  to 
which  the  slave  is  always  exposed  often  take  place  in  fact  and  in  their 
very  worst  degree  and  form;  and  where  all  of  them  do  not  take  place, 
as  we  rejoice  to  say  that  in  many  instances  through  the  influence  of 
the  principles  of  humanity  and  religion  on  the  minds  of  the  masters 
they  do  not,  still  the  slave  is  deprived  of  its  natural  rights,  degraded 
to  the  danger  of  passing  into  the  hands  of  a  master  who  may  inflict 
upon  him  all  the  hardship  and  injuries  which  inhumanity  and  avarice 
may  suggest. 

"  'From  this  view  of  the  consequences  resulting  from  the  practice 
into  which  Christian  people  have  most  inconsistently  fallen  of  en- 
slaving a  portion  of  their  brethren  of  mankind,  for  God  hath  made  of 
one  blood  all  the  nations  of  men  to  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  it  is 
manifestly  the  duty  of  all  Christians  who  enjoy  the  light  of  the  present 
day  when  the  inconsistency  of  slavery  both  with  the  dictates  of 
humanity  and  religion  has  been  demonstrated  and  is  generally  seen 
and  acknowledged,  to  use  their  honest,  earnest,  and  unwearied  en- 
deavors to  correct  the  errors  of  former  times  and  as  speedily  as  possible 
to  efface  this  blot  on  our  holy  religion  and  to  obtain  the  complete 
abolition  of  slavery  throughout  Christendom  and  if  possible  through- 
out the  world.' 

"And  whereas,  notwithstanding  the  aforesaid  solemn  testimony  of 
the  General  Assembly  in  which  we  fully  concur,  slaveholding  still 
continues  to  an  alarming  extent  in  various  Presbyteries  and  churches 
connected  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  slavery  has  increased 
continually  since  the  year  1818  and  still  threatens  to  increase  with 
the  progress  of  population  and  a  larger  number  of  our  brethren  and 
sisters  in  the  Church  are  held  as  slaves  and  many  of  them,  as  we  have 
reason  to  believe,  held  by  ministers  and  lay  members  of  the  churches. 
And  whereas  those  ministers  and  other  Christians  who  own  or  hire 
slaves  thereby  give  their  sanction  to  the  system  of  slavery  existing  in 
the  United  States  and  cannot  consistently  rebuke  and  warn  each  other 

27 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

or  the  world  against  it  and  are  conducting  themselves  in  entire  dis- 
regard of  the  aforesaid  testimony  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1818. 
This  Presbytery  doth  most  solemnly  and  affectionately  request 
your  body  at  the  next  meeting  thereof  to  take  this  subject  into  serious 
and  prayerful  consideration  and  in  the  spirit  of  the  gospel  urge  anew 
upon  the  Presbyteries  and  churches  in  which  slaveholding  exists  the 
importance  of  taking  measures  adapted  to  remove  the  evil  from  among 
them  with  the  distinct  intimation  that  slaveholding  can  no  longer  be 
suffered  to  exist  unchecked  in  any  of  the  churches  connected  with  your 
body. 

"And  your  memorialists  pray  that  the  great  Head  of  the  Church 
may  guide  you  in  your  deliberations  on  this  and  all  other  subjects 
which  shall  come  up  before  you;  hoping  for  the  entire  purification  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  from  every  stain  that  all  her  members  may 
be  perfected  in  righteousness  and  prepared  to  be  presented  by  their 
Savior  to  the  Father  unblameable  and  unreprovable  in  his  sight." 

When  the  General  Assembly  disposed  of  the  memorial  from  Utica 
Presbytery  "without  any  steps  being  taken  in  compliance  with  the 
petition,  the  session  at  Oriskany  called  upon  the  Presbytery  for  some 
decided  testimony  against  slavery;  and  an  appeal  to  the  Synod  was 
decided  upon  urging  that  body  to  send  proposals  to  the  General  Assem- 
bly to  secure  condemnation  of  the  evil  and  steps  to  "remove  it  from 
our  church." 

Three  years  later,  April  14,  1846,  the  Presbytery  again  addressed 
the  General  Assembly  on  the  subject,  declaring: 

"It  is  our  duty  to  put  the  evil  from  us,  and  this  Presbytery  are 
unwilling  any  longer  to  retain  such  a  connection  with  it,  as  in  any 
degree  sustains  or  countenances  slaveholding.  Whilst  the  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  removing  it  are  great  and  many,  they  can  and  will  be 
overcome,  for  it  is  the  cause  of  humanity  and  of  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

"The  Presbytery  therefore  pray  the  General  Assembly  that  they 
will  not  only  condemn  this  great  evil,  but  take  such  measures,  as  shall 
separate  the  Church  from  any  participation  in  this  crime,  shall  remove 
this  great  reproach  from  the  gospel  of  Christ,  and  shall  tend  to  put 
away  the  evil  from  the  land." 

On  January  28,  1852  the  Presbytery  resolved,  "That  in  the  sense 
of  this  body,  the  late  enactment  of  Congress  usually  known  as  the 
'Fugitive  Slave  Law'  does  in  some  of  its  vital  provisions  conflict  with 

28 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

the  anterior  and  paramount  laws  of  God;  and  that  therefore  we  do 
earnestly  protest  against  it."  The  following  year  the  Presbytery  ap- 
proved of  vigorous  action  by  the  General  Assembly  on  the  abolition  of 
slavery. 

Temperance 

Temperance  came  gradually  to  the  fore  in  the  Presbytery  as  a 
serious  problem  and  it  won  greater  unanimity  of  action  than  some 
other  subjects.  Very  early  the  principle  of  total  abstinence  from 
ardent  spirits  was  adopted  and  scarcely  a  year  went  by  without  a  de- 
liverance on  the  subject,  and  it  was  a  topic  of  report  in  most  narratives 
of  religion  for  many  years.  Pronouncements  extended  to  the  use,  sale, 
manufacture,  and  providing  the  materials  for  manufacture  of  alcoholic 
beverages;  and  there  was  a  growing  tendency  to  exclude  all  people 
connected  with  liquor  in  any  way  from  membership  in  the  churches 
connected  with  the  Presbytery. 

A  corollary  of  the  Temperance  agitation  was  the  move  to  substitute 
unfermented  grape  juice  for  wine  in  the  observance  of  the  Lord's 
Supper.  In  1839  the  Whitesboro  session  questioned  recognition  of  the 
newly  organized  Congregational  church  in  that  place  for  several 
reasons,  among  which  was  "the  admitted  fact  that  water  in  which 
raisins  have  been  soaked  is  used  by  them  instead  of  wine  at  the  Lord's 
Supper  contrary  not  only  to  Scripture  but  to  the  Presbyterian  Book." 
The  Presbytery,  to  whom  the  matter  was  referred  that  fall,  refused  to 
express  an  opinion  "whether  the  fruit  of  the  wine  as  used  in  the  cup 
of  the  Lord  be  fermented  or  not."  It  is  not  until  1877  that  we  find 
Utica  Presbytery,  declaring,  "We  do  not  regard  it  as  at  all  requisite  to 
the  right  administration  of  the  ordinance  that  the  wine  be  fermented. 
Resolved,  that  sympathizing  most  cordially  with  the  movement  against 
the  use  of  all  intoxicating  drink,  as  a  beverage,  desirous  of  putting 
beyond  question  the  entire  moral  support  of  our  churches  to  the  move- 
ment, as  well  as  from  tender  regard  to  the  case  of  those  to  whom  the 
proximity,  smell  or  taste  of  a  fermented  article  is  a  dangerous  tempta- 
tion, we  recommend  the  use  of  unfermented  wine  for  Sacramental  pur- 
poses, whenever  found  practical  by  the  Session  of  the  Church." 

Perhaps  because  of  preoccupation  with  other  problems,  it  was 
more  than  a  decade  after  its  organization  that  Utica  Presbytery  took 
cognizance  of  the  problems  of  liquor,  and  then  January  30,  1856,  it 
was  an  expression  of  "undiminished  confidence  of  the  adaptation  of  the 

29 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

present  law  for  the  suppression  of  intemperance  and  to  accomplish  the 
objects  for  which  it  was  designed,  when  it  shall  have  a  fair  and  im- 
partial trial."  By  June  1858  that  complacency  seems  to  have  van- 
ished, perhaps  under  the  influence  of  an  address  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Crampton,  agent  for  the  State  Temperance  Society,  for  then  it  resolved 
"That  the  alarming  increase  of  intemperance  in  our  State  calls  loudly 
upon  the  ministry  for  greater  fidelity  in  urging  upon  their  congregations 
the  solemn  truths  of  God's  Word  on  this  subject  and  the  adoption  by 
all  members  of  our  churches  of  such  measures  as  are  calculated  to 
arrest  and  remove  the  evil."  In  1866  it  was  declared,  "That  while  we 
regard  entire  prohibition  as  the  only  true  basis  of  legislative  enactment, 
special  effort  be  made  by  the  Christian  people  under  our  charge  to 
secure  the  vigorous  enforcement  of  the  prohibitory^  and  restrictive 
portion  of  the  present  excise  law." 

The  same  year  a  new  note  was  sounded  when  it  was  resolved  that 
"the  hope  of  the  complete  triumph  of  the  temperance  cause  rests  so 
largely  on  the  rising  generation  that  we  regard  their  instruction  and 
training  in  temperance  principles  and  habits  as  of  prime  importance." 
In  1867  the  Rev.  J.  W.  Whitfield  came  to  the  Presbytery  with  diagrams 
of  the  human  stomach  and  the  effects  of  alcoholic  compounds  upon 
it,  which  he  "exhibited  to  the  satisfaction  of  all,"  and  he  was  com- 
mended to  the  churches  and  Sunday  schools. 

Now  the  tide  of  temperance  was  rising  fast  and  the  condemnation 
of  the  alcoholic  traffic  was  expanded  to  include  the  growing  and  fur- 
nishing of  materials  used  in  its  manufacture.  Such  a  proposal  was 
tabled  in  June  1868;  called  up  again  at  the  next  Stated  Meeting; 
referred  to  a  special  committee  which  was  continued  from  time  to  time, 
until  finally  it  vanished  in  the  committee.  It  all  leads  to  the  con- 
jecture that  there  was  some  considerable  opposition  to  the  measure. 
By  1889  the  Presbytery  had  taken  a  stand  for  "the  entire  prohibition 
of  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  as  a  beverage." 

An  intense  interest  in  the  whole  subject  was  maintained  until  the 
enactment  of  the  18th  Amendment  brought  about  nation-wide  prohibi- 
tion. From  that  time  only  occasional  reference  may  be  found  to  the 
manner  in  which  the  laws  were  being  enforced.  Only  feeble  protest 
was  raised  against  the  repeal  of  the  18th  Amendment;  and,  as  yet, 
not  much  more  interest  has  been  shown  by  the  Presbytery  in  this 
moral  problem,  aside  from  an  appeal  to  the  authorities  to  bar  the  sale 
of  alcoholic  beverages  from  army  camps. 

30 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Fashionable  Amusements 

Other  social  problems  were  of  equal  concern  to  the  Presbytery  from 
the  beginning.  In  the  first  year  of  its  existence,  1843,  Utica  Presby- 
tery showed  concern  for  the  effect  of  fashionable  amusements  on  moral 
and  spiritual  life,  enacting  a  resolution  which  it  directed  printed  in  the 
two  current  religious  magazines,  The  New  York  Evangelist  and 
Observer,  and  The  Advocate  of  Moral  Reform: 

"The  Presbytery  of  Utica  have  heard  with  deep  regret  that  in  some 
of  our  congregations  professing  Christians  are  found  who  advocate  and 
practice  dancing  as  an  amusement.  It  seems  proper  and  desirable 
therefore  that  this  ecclesiastical  body  should  distinctly  express  its 
opinion  upon  this  subject. 

"We  pass  no  indiscriminate  censure  upon  cheerful  social  inter- 
course, and  refinement  of  manners.  We  do  not  believe  that  all  amuse- 
ments tending  to  relax  the  mind  for  a  time  that  it  may  be  fitted  for 
more  vigorous  subsequent  exertion,  are  in  themselves  prejudicial.  But, 
as  we  fear  some  are  beguiled  by  this  too  fashionable  amusement  and 
falling  from  their  own  steadfastness,  act  inconsistently  with  Christian 
character,  we  desire  to  speak  plainly  yet  affectionately  respecting  it. 

"In  the  language  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1818  then  we  say,  that 
it  is  not  from  those  things  which  the  world  acknowledges  to  be  wrong 
that  the  greatest  danger  to  religion  is  to  be  apprehended,  especially  as 
it  relates  to  the  young. 

"When  the  practice  is  carried  to  its  highest  extremes  all  admit  the 
consequences  of  it  to  be  fatal.  Why  not  resist  danger  in  its  incipiency? 
It  is  certainly  in  all  of  its  steps  a  fascinating  and  infatuating  practice. 
Let  it  once  be  introduced  and  it  is  difficult  to  give  it  limits.  It  steals 
away  our  precious  time,  dissipates  religious  impressions  and  hardens  the 
heart. 

"General  expression  testifies  in  the  strongest  manner  that  it  is  im- 
possible to  have  to  do  with  the  practice  in  question  in  any  manner 
whatever  without  ministering  to  levity,  ungodliness  and  divers  forms  of 
sensualism  which  drown  the  soul  in  destruction  and  perdition.  As  it 
ordinarily  obtains,  it  is  injurious  to  health,  promotes  dissipated  habits, 
precludes  serious  thoughts,  quenches  the  spirit  of  God  and  disappears 
before  the  light  of  a  religious  revival  as  the  darkness  of  night  before 
the  light  of  growing  day. 

31 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"Further  we  not  only  regard  the  practice  in  question  as  wrong  be- 
cause destructive  to  personal  piety  and  active  benevolence,  but  because 
its  influence  upon  the  impenitent  community  is  decidedly  and  univer- 
sally bad;  leading  them  to  treat  religion,  whose  representatives  they 
suppose  they  contemplate,  with  levity  and  scorn;  and  to  run  with 
greediness  into  other  sins  of  even  a  grosser  character. 

"Presbytery  therefore  cannot  hesitate  to  pronounce  the  practice 
in  question  sinful;  and  all  who  truly  love  the  cause  of  Christ  should 
in  every  possible  and  proper  way  discountenance  it.     And  therefore 

"Resolved  that  our  churches  are  directed  with  prudence  and  Chris- 
tian meekness,  yet  decidedly,  to  exercise  the  discipline  of  God's  house 
upon  all  who  practice  it  themselves;  countenance  it  in  their  children, 
3till  under  their  care;  or  in  their  family  parties,  schools,  or  places  of 
amusement." 

In  1876,  in  answer  to  a  question  from  a  church  session,  the  Pres- 
bytery declared  that  it  is  proper  to  require  a  person  professing  conver- 
sion to  promise  to  abstain  from  dancing  before  receiving  him  as  a 
church  member. 

On  January  30,  1850,  the  Presbytery  replied  to  an  overture,  "ask- 
ing the  opinion  of  Presbytery  on  the  propriety  of  ministers  and  private 
members  of  our  churches,  and  their  families,  attending  on  public  ex- 
hibitions where  tragedies,  comedies,  and  theatrical  plays  are  read,  by 
play  actors,"  declaring  that  "such  exhibitions  are  essentially  of  the 
same  nature  with  theatrical  entertainments"  and  that  "they  have  the 
same  tendencies  as  the  theater  itself."  Many  of  the  same  arguments 
against  the  theater  are  presented  as  in  the  case  of  dancing,  and  Chris- 
tians were  urged  to  avoid  attendance  upon  any  form  of  theatrical 
presentation. 

Attitude  on  War 

There  seemingly  was  no  hesitancy  to  take  issue  with  government 
when  it  appeared  to  be  pursuing  a  policy  that  was  wrong.  Particularly 
was  that  true  in  connection  with  the  Mexican  War.  March  10,  1846 
it  was  resolved  "in  view  of  the  danger  of  war,  and  of  the  state  of  the 
public  mind  with  reference  to  this  subject;  Presbytery  recommend  that 
their  members  preach  on  the  subject  at  some  early  time."  On  July 
1st,  "We  recommend  to  the  churches  connected  with  this  body  the 
observance  of  the  third  Sabbath  in  July  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer 

32 


FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  ILION,  ERECTED  1913 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

and  humiliation  before  God  on  account  of  the  war  in  which  our  country 
is  engaged  with  a  neighboring  republic,  and  that  the  ministers  con- 
nected with  this  body  be  requested  to  present  the  claims  of  peace  on 
that  day  to  their  people." 

On  January  27,  1847:  "Whereas  the  government  of  our  country 
is  engaged  in  the  prosecution  of  war  with  an  adjoining  nation,  greatly 
to  the  grief  of  the  friends  of  peace  and 

"Whereas  we  are  the  ministers  of  the  Prince  of  Peace,  and  of  that 
religion  which  proclaims  peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to  men,  therefore 

"Resolved,  That  it  is  enjoined  on  all  the  ministers  of  this  Pres- 
bytery to  make  it  a  subject  of  public  prayer  to  Almighty  God,  that 
peace  may  be  restored  and  the  time  speedily  ushered  in  when  the 
nations  shall  learn  war  no  more." 

In  January  of  the  next  year,  1848,  a  still  more  vigorous  resolution 
was  adopted:  "Whereas  war  is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  which  can 
afflict  the  human  race,  and  is  especially  to  be  deplored  in  this  age  of 
national  advancement  in  knowledge  and  religion;  and  whereas,  we  of 
all  other  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth  have  the  least  occasion  to  dis- 
turb the  peace  of  the  world,  and  from  our  geographical  position  and 
the  pacific  nature  of  our  government  should  be  the  leader  of  the  nations 
in  all  things  conducive  to  peace;  and  whereas,  we  are  now  engaged  in 
an  expensive  and  ruinous  war  with  a  neighboring  Republic,  Therefore 
resolved, 

"1st.  That  we  view  this  war  as  wholly  unnecessary,  aggressive  and 
wicked;  a  stain  upon  our  high  professions,  injurious  to  ourselves,  and 
to  the  people  with  whom  we  are  at  variance;  ominous  of  evil  to  our 
Union  and  prosperity  as  a  republic,  and  rendering  us  justly  obnoxious 
to  the  vengeance  of  heaven. 

"2nd.  That  the  ministers  and  churches  within  our  bounds  be  recom- 
mended to  discountenance  this  war  in  every  suitable  way,  and  especially 
to  leave  not  praying  for  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  and  the  restoration 
of  peace  to  our  beloved  yet  guilty  country." 

When  the  Civil  War  threatened  the  country,  however,  quite  a  differ- 
ent spirit  is  reflected.  The  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  inspired  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  of  June  19,  1861.  "Resolved  that  there  is  no  apology 
for  rebellion  against  a  government  so  admirably  constituted  and  so 
equitably  administered  as  that  of  the  U,  S.;  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of 

33 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Christian  citizens  out  of  regard  to  religion  as  well  as  to  patriotism  to  up- 
hold 'the  powers  that  be'  in  maintaining  the  government,  and  suppress- 
ing rebellion  by  all  the  resources  at  their  command. 

"Resolved  that  we  acknowledge  the  rebellion  in  our  land  as  a  judg- 
ment upon  us  for  our  national  sins,  and  that  we  cannot  justly  expect 
the  Divine  help  so  indispensable  to  its  suppression,  until  the  people 
humble  themselves  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  and  repent,  and 
reform. 

"Resolved  that  we  recommend  to  the  churches  under  our  care  faith- 
fully to  observe  Friday  the  28th  inst.,  set  apart  by  our  General  As- 
sembly, as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  for  the  land." 

On  June  7,  1865,  with  the  war  ended  the  Presbytery  resolved, 

"That  this  Presbytery  hereby  records  its  thanks  to  Almighty  God 
for  His  truly  wonderful  interpositions  in  behalf  of  our  country  during 
the  four  years  of  the  rebellion  just  closed — for  the  frequency  with 
which  success  was  so  manifestly  achieved  by  Him,  for  our  arms  and 
apparent  reverses  so  manifestly  turned  into  gains,  as  to  compel  the 
recognition  of  those  who  had  been  the  most  incredulous  of  His  provi- 
dence— for  the  ways  in  which  He  led  us,  blind  to  the  destruction  of 
slavery,  and  over  ruled  the  course  of  those  devoted  to  the  system,  to 
its  ruin — for  the  settlement  of  the  great  political  doctrine  that  the 
states  are  inseparable  and  subordinate  each  to  the  whole  within  the 
national  sphere — and  that  our  citizens  North  and  South,  East  and 
West  constitute  one  people — for  the  complete  overthrow  of  the  rebel- 
lion, the  contempt  and  odium  that  have  been  heaped  upon  it  and  the 
exposure  of  the  meanness  and  wickedness  of  its  leaders  and  agents — 
and  for  the  reestablishment  of  the  authority  of  the  General  Government 
throughout  our  territory. 

"That  we  also  record  our  thanks  to  our  Rulers  for  the  faithfulness 
and  wisdom  with  which  they  have  managed  our  public  affairs — and  to 
the  heroic  sailors,  soldiers  and  officers  who  have  periled  their  lives  for 
the  country  and  that  we  acknowledge  an  indebtedness  to  them  which 
we  can  never  hope  to  repay. 

"That  we  have  shuddered  and  wept  with  the  whole  nation  at  the 
assassination  of  our  late  President — that  we  deeply  sympathize  with 
his  sadly  afflicted  family  and  commend  them  to  the  mourner's  friend  and 
that  we  deplore  our  loss  in  his  death  of  a  genial,  just  and  able  and 

34 


\ 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

truly  great  Chief  Magistrate  who  enhanced  our  esteem  for  him  and 
our  confidence  in  him  by  his  waiting  on  Providence  for  leading  in  his 
measures  and  for  prosperity  in  his  administration — and  whose  chief 
aspiration  it  was  to  be  on  the  Lord's  side. 

"That  we  express  our  gratitude  and  joy  at  the  deliverance  of  the 
Vice-President  and  Secretaries  of  State  and  of  War  and  of  General 
Grant  and  of  other  civil  and  military  officers  from  the  fiendish  plots 
laid  for  their  lives  and  that  we  pray  for  the  speedy  recovery  of  Mr. 
Seward  and  his  son  from  their  dangerous  wounds. 

"That  we  mourn  with  the  bereaved  throughout  our  land  whose 
kindred  and  friends  have  fallen  on  the  high  fields  of  battle  or  died  from 
sickness  or  wounds  incurred  in  the  military  service  or  perished  in 
Southern  prisons — and  that  we  plead  for  their  restoration  to  health 
and  soundness  who  are  now  diseased  and  disabled. 

"That  we  assure  President  Johnson  of  our  interest  in  him  personally 
and  of  our  anxiety  to  contribute  to  the  happy  fulfillment  of  his  solemn 
and  onerous  responsibilities. 

"That  in  the  grateful  consideration  that  will  be  paid  to  our  soldiers, 
sailors  and  officers  on  their  return  home,  we  exhort  our  churches  to  take 
a  cordial  part  and  while  they  do  honor  to  these  noble  warriors  and 
martyrs  and  facilitate  their  engagement  in  remunerative  worldly  pur- 
suits, to  regard  their  souls  and  minister  to  their  spiritual  good. 

"That  the  war  just  closed  has  taught  rulers  and  people  that  there 
is  no  safety  to  the  nation  but  in  exact  and  equal  justice  to  all  men  and 
that  for  the  sake  of  our  country  as  well  as  of  righteousness  and  hu- 
manity we  beg  and  demand  that  in  the  assignment  of  civil  privileges 
and  prerogatives  no  discriminations  be  made  by  reason  of  color  or 
blood  and  that  we  invoke  the  aid  of  the  General  Government,  to  the 
utmost  of  its  legitimate  and  justifiable  powers,  in  securing  in  the  late 
slave-holding  states  an  identity  of  rights,  before  the  law,  for  blacks 
and  whites. 

"That  our  experience  in  the  late  calamity  and  crisis  of  our  nation, 
demonstrates  the  enmity  of  Romanism  to  free  institutions,  and  of  the 
utter  unreliability,  in  times  that  test  principle  and  patriotism  and 
humanity,  of  churches  whose  chief  consideration  is  given  to  outward 
organization  and  to  forms  and  rites,  to  the  disparagement  of  doctrine 
and  spirituality. 

35 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"That  thankful  to  God  for  His  notable  mercies  to  us  in  our  extremity 
and  for  His  favors  to  us  in  this  the  day  of  our  deliverance,  we  ought  to 
consecrate  ourselves  unreservedly  to  Him — and  that  the  opportunity 
now  offered  to  make  Him  the  LxDrd  of  our  people  ought  to  be  zealously 
improved  by  the  Church." 

The  records  of  the  Presbytery  fail  to  show  any  action  in  connection 
with  the  War  with  Spain,  but  on  April  10,  1917,  it  was  declared  that 
"the  Presbytery  of  Utica — believing  that  our  country  has  been  forced 
into  the  World  War,  greatly  against  its  own  desires  and  patriotic  en- 
deavor, and  holding  it  to  be  the  duty  of  every  American  to  maintain 
the  honor  and  just  cause  of  our  Country,  hereby  express  the  fullest 
confidence  in  our  government  with  reference  to  the  course  taken  to  meet 
the  present  crisis,  and  we  pledge  ourselves  to  the  fullest  measure,  any 
service  we  may  render,  in  the  endeavor  to  maintain  justice  and  liberty 
in  international  relationships,  and  bring  about  a  world  peace,  based 
upon  the  principle  of  righteousness  and  true  democracy." 

In  September  it  proclaimed,  "On  Good  Friday,  April  6,  the  Ameri- 
can Nation  took  up  its  cross  by  entering  into  the  war  against  the 
Teutonic  Powers.  The  conflict  into  which  we  have  been  irresistably 
drawn  is  one  that  is  so  manifestly  for  the  maintenance  of  righteousness 
and  in  behalf  of  humanity  that  it  should  command  the  courageous  and 
unreserved  support  of  all  our  people.  By  every  memory  of  the  suffer- 
ing and  sacrifice  of  our  fathers,  by  every  thrill  of  loyalty  to  our  sacred 
heritage,  by  every  compelling  motive  that  inspires  unselfish  action,  the 
Presbyterian  Church  is  summoned  to  do  its  part  in  redeeming  the  world 
from  its  bondage  to  autocratic  rule,  and  from  its  prison  house  of  arma- 
ments, into  a  life  free  to  express  its  own  natural  good  will  and  fellow- 
ship with  all  men." 

After  expressing  accord  with  the  deliverance  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  1917  in  promising  support  of  the  government,  it  was  resolved,  "That 
Utica  Presbytery  through  its  sessions  solemnly  urges  upon  the  Churches 
the  most  earnest  and  whole  hearted  cooperation  with  the  great  organized 
efforts  now  being  made  for  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  war ; 

"That  special  attention  be  given  to  the  support  of  the  following 
agencies  which  are  so  vital  for  victory  and  for  the  comfort  and  welfare 
of  our  soldiers  and  sailors:  the  Red  Cross,  the  Y.M.C.A.,  Food  Con- 
servation, the  work  of  the  American  Library  Associations,  the  Liberty 
Bonds; 

36 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"That  above  all,  the  churches  shall  continue  steadfastly  in  prayer 
beseeching  God  for  the  speedy  coming  of  the  day  when  the  nations  of 
the  world,  led  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Christ,  shall  dwell  together  in  peace." 

October  1,  1918  the  Presbytery  endorsed  the  movement  initiated 
by  the  General  Assembly  for  daily  prayer  by  the  members  of  the  Presr- 
byterian  Church  at  noon  for  "the  speedy  and  complete  victory  of  the 
Allies." 

When  the  war  was  over  the  Presbytery  showed  itself  in  hearty  accord 
with  the  movement  for  disarmament.  September  27,  1921,  it  approved 
the  International  Conference  on  the  Limitation  of  Armaments,  thanked 
the  President  for  calling  it,  designated  Sunday,  November  6th,  as  a  day 
of  public  and  private  prayer  for  its  success,  and  called  upon  the  min- 
isters to  preach  on  world  peace  and  to  send  resolutions  to  Washington  in 
support  of  this  venture. 

Shortly  after  the  outbreak  of  the  Second  World  War,  on  September 
26,  1939  the  Presbytery  adopted  the  following  resolution,  directing  that 
it  be  sent  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  and  to  the  senators  from 
the  State  of  New  York:  "Utica  Presbytery  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  U.  S.  A.  urges  Congress  to  put  forth  every  effort  to  keep  the 
United  States  out  of  the  European  conflict.  Our  conviction  is  that  dis- 
putes which  are  settled  by  force  can  never  be  settled  for  long,  by  giving 
rise  to  even  greater  problems  and  disputes." 

After  our  country  had  entered  the  war,  the  Presbytery  resolved  on 
April  14,  1942  "That  the  Presbytery  endorse  the  statement  of  the 
Federal  Council  of  Churches  urging  justice  and  fair  treatment  for  all 
enemy  aliens  who  may  reside  in  our  midst.  We  affirm  our  loyalty  and 
support  of  our  government  in  this  hour  of  crisis,  and  we  deplore  the 
spread  of  blind  and  unreasoning  hatred  in  connection  with  our  country's 
war  effort." 

The  Presbytery  has  also  given  its  hearty  support  and  has  encouraged 
its  churches  to  support  the  Presbyterian  United  World  Emergency  Fund 
and  the  Presbyterian  War-time  Service  Commission,  into  which  the 
former  was  merged,  that  the  war  time  responsibilities  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  might  be  met  to  the  men  of  our  armed  forces,  to  foreign  mis- 
sionaries, and  to  the  Christians  of  all  the  world. 


37 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Revivals 

Revivals  constitute  a  very  important  phase  of  the  life  of  Oneida 
Presbytery  and  its  Churches.  The  fact  that  the  Rev.  Charles  G. 
Finney  was  for  a  time  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  a  factor.  Rather  the  revivals  were  a  continuation  of  the 
great  revival  of  1799,  altho  there  were  times  when  the  intensity  seemed 
to  die  down.  Such  a  low  spiritual  period  seemed  to  have  occurred  early 
in  the  third  decade  of  the  19th  century.  At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the 
Presbytery  in  1822,  an  hour  was  set  apart  for  prayer  because  a  smaller 
number  of  congregations  than  usual  had  been  visited  with  the  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  recommend  ways 
for  the  promotion  of  revivals.    Its  report  suggested  five  measures. 

1.  A  careful  attention  to  personal  religion— that  the  first  part  of 
each  day  be  devoted  to  sweet  prayer,  that  a  portion  of  the  Scriptures 
be  read  every  day  seriously  and  prayerfully;  that  each  one  ask  himself 
in  the  morning,  what  can  I  do  this  day  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ? 
that  stated  seasons  be  observed,  at  least  weekly,  for  self  examination, 
and  occasional  seasons  for  private  fasting  and  prayer. 

2.  The  observance  of  family  and  social  duties — that  heads  of 
families  call  their  families  together,  morning  and  evening,  for  the  wor- 
ship of  God,  and  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  make  a  point  of  convers- 
ing frequently  with  the  individual  members  of  the  family  on  the  state 
of  their  souls ;  that  ordinary  social  visits  of  professing  Christians  should 
never  be  made  without  religious  conversation  and  prayer;  that  every 
private  Christian  should  converse  seriously  and  plainly  with  his  particu- 
lar acquaintances;  that  neighborhood  meetings  for  conference  and 
special  prayer  should  be  statedly  held;  that  females  of  similar  age 
should  associate  together  for  the  same  purpose;  and  that  young  men 
should  have  stated  meetings  by  themselves  for  religious  improvement. 

3.  The  faithful  discharge  of  official  duties — that  pastors,  elders  and 
deacons,  visit  from  house  to  house,  that  they  assemble  members  of  the 
church  in  classes  composed  of  those  of  similar  age,  and  converse  with 
them  individually;  that  where  there  is  an  instance  of  awakening  among 
sinners,  special  meetings  be  held  for  personal  conversation  with  them; 
that  congregations  be  divided  into  districts,  and  a  church  officer  assigned 
to  each,  who  shall  be  statedly  called  upon  to  report  on  the  state  of  his 
district;  that  where  the  number  of  church  officers  is  not  sufficient  for 
these  purposes,  suitable  persons  be  appointed  to  assist  them;  and  that 

38 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

the  churches  observe  occasional  seasons  of  fasting  and  prayer,  at  least 
once  in  each  year. 

4.  That  professing  parents  and  their  baptized  children  be  statedly 
assembled,  and  instructed  in  their  reciprocal  duties  and  obligations,  and 
solemnly  urged  to  the  faithful  discharge  of  them;  and  that  the  cate- 
chetical instruction  of  children  and  youth  be  faithfully  attended  to. 

5.  That  neighboring  ministers  make  arrangements  to  visit  the 
churches,  two  and  two,  and  endeavor  to  rouse  the  attention  of  professing 
Christians,  and  lead  them  to  feel  the  importance  of  a  revival  of  religion, 
and  to  use  all  proper  means  for  promoting  it. 

Four  congregations  reported  the  next  year  some  evidences  of  divine 
grace,  but  in  1824  there  were  signs  of  an  awakening  in  Augusta,  Sken- 
andoa,  and  Oneida;  the  former  reported  more  than  one  hundred  con- 
versions. In  1825  the  Presbytery  reported  to  the  General  Assembly 
rather  discouragedly,  despite  a  revival  in  Hamilton  College  that  spread 
to  the  village  of  Clinton,  and  a  commencement  of  a  promising  revival  in 
Whitesboro.  Unfortunately  the  records  do  not  contain  a  copy  of  the 
narrative  of  religion  for  1826,  but  references  indicate  a  mounting  spirit 
of  revival,  which  called  for  repeated  pauses  in  the  reports  of  the 
churches  for  prayers  of  rejoicing.  The  Narrative  of  1827  reports  further 
advance: 

'Tt  is  with  admiration,  gratitude,  and  deep  humility,  that  the  Pres- 
bytery would  look  back  on  the  past  year — we  would  admire  what  God 
has  wrought:  we  would  be  grateful  that  He  has  allowed  us  to  be  His 
instruments:  and  we  would  be  deeply  humbled  that  we  have  not 
rendered  to  him  according  to  his  benefits.  The  Lord  has  been  among 
us  causing  his  face  to  shine  upon  his  sanctuary,  hearing  supplication, 
and  working  for  his  name's  sake.  He  has  been  strengthening  the  faith, 
purifying  the  hearts,  and  quickening  the  devotion  of  his  children.  He 
has  also  been  magnifying  himself  in  sending  forth  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
quickening  many  that  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.  The  whole 
year  has  been  one  day  of  his  glory. 

''Before  our  last  annual  meeting,  the  wonders  of  his  might  had 
begun  to  be  displayed  in  the  two  churches  in  Vernon,  in  Western  and 
Rome  and  a  few  other  places.  The  Presbytery  met  at  that  time  with 
trembling  expectation,  and  on  hearing  what  was  doing  among  us,  the 
presence  of  God  was  felt,  and  every  heart  melted  in  love.  It  was  a 
time  not  to  be  forgotten.    Our  oldest  members  never  witnessed  the  like. 

39 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Ministers  and  elders  went  home,  mourning  on  account  of  their  past 
sloth,  and  ashamed  that  they  had  not  put  more  practical  confidence  in 
the  promises  of  the  faithful  God.  The  resolution  seemed  to  be  universal, 
that,  in  dependence  on  Divine  grace,  they  would  more  vigorously  lay 
hold  on  duty.  The  exhibition  of  truth  both  in  preaching  and  private 
conversation  was  made  more  simple.  An  effort  was  extensively  made 
to  rouse  the  members  of  our  churches  to  ardent,  believing  prayer — 
to  a  holier  circumspection  over  their  conduct,  and  to  a  more  punctual 
and  faithful  performance  of  every  duty.  Wherever  this  effort  was  made 
its  influence  was  felt.  When  Christians  began  to  shine,  their  light 
was  seen.  While  their  own  hearts  were  refreshed,  their  prayers  began  to 
ascend  that  God  would  glory  himself  in  the  salvation  of  others.  And 
in  very  many  professors  there  was  a  distress,  and  fervency  of  prayer 
never  known  by  them  before.  It  seemed  the  wrestling  with  the  angel. 
From  this  time,  the  cloud  of  divine  influence  began  to  be  seen  extending 
in  more  or  less  denseness  over  every  congregation  within  our  bounds. 
A  spirit  of  inquiry  on  the  subject  of  religion  became  prevalent.  It  was 
the  chief  subject  of  conversation  among  both  its  friends  and  its  enemies. 
In  some  places  only  a  few  were  converted;  in  others  great  numbers 
were  added  to  the  Lord.  We  do  not  mention  particular  churches, 
as  such  accounts  have  already  been  published  by  order  of  Presbytery. 
Since  the  commencement  of  the  revival  betwen  3,000  and  4,000  have 
obtained  hope  within  our  bounds.  More  than  1,000  have  united  with 
our  churches  the  past  year:  many  with  churches  of  other  denomina- 
tions; and  many  have  not  yet  joined  themselves  to  any  church.  And 
the  work  is  not  yet  ended. 

"In  several  churches  the  spirit  of  prayer  continues;  and  appears  to 
increase,  rather  than  diminish.  In  societies  where  the  power  of  prayer 
has  declined,  it  is  still  greater  than  before  the  revival.  On  them  the 
heavens  still  drop  fatness.  And  from  the  numerous  heavy  laden  sinners 
among  them,  conversions  are  occurring  every  week.  From  more  than 
half  of  our  churches,  we  hear  that  appearances  are  of  late  more  inter- 
esting— cases  of  conviction  more  frequent — Christians  becoming  more 
united,  more  humble,  more  prayerful,  more  deeply  distressed  for  sinners, 
more  faithful  in  good  works. 

"In  Vernon  Center  the  work  was  renewed  in  Sept.  last.  Since  that 
time  there  have  been  numerous  conversions.  In  New  Stockbridge  the 
revival  has  commenced  lately  with  great  power. 

"In  comparing  our  present  state  with  what  it  was  in  past  years, 

40 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

we  see  important  and  favorable  changes.  The  morals  of  society  have 
improved.  Union  and  love  have  increased  among  Christians.  They 
pray  more  for  themselves— for  sinners  around  them,  and  for  other 
portions  of  the  church.  The  spirit  of  benevolence  is  increasing,  and 
bringing  in  most  liberal  contributions  to  the  treasury  of  the  Lord.  The 
monthly  concerts  are  better  attended.  God  has  blessed  them.  But 
few  instances  of  apostasy  have  occurred  among  the  hopeful  converts. 
Thus  far  they  have  chiefly  run  well.  How  many  will  endure  to  the 
end,  their  future  fruits,  and  the  light  of  eternity,  will  tell.  At  present 
they  appear,  to  say  the  least,  as  circumspect,  active,  and  devout  as  con- 
verts in  former  revivals." 

While  Oneida  Presbytery  rejoiced  in  the  Revivals  of  1825-6  and  in 
those  which  followed  them  for  ten  years  in  Central  and  Western  New 
York,  there  were  those  who  felt  quite  differently  about  them.  Opposi- 
tion seemed  to  center  around  the  Rev.  Charles  G.  Finney,  a  member 
of  the  Presbytery.  "Finneyism"  was  the  popular  description  of  the 
movement,  which  was  charged  with  heterodoxy,  disorder  and  extrava- 
gance. Slanderous  reports  of  the  revivals  were  circulated,  some  of  them 
from  responsible  authorities,  "charging  that  they  afterward  came  to 
little  or  nothing  and  that  they  consisted  of  ostentation  and  noise,  giving 
heed  to  impressions  and  feelings  and  supposed  revelations,  allowing 
anybody  and  everybody  to  speak  and  pray  in  promiscuous  meetings  of 
whatever  age,  sex,  or  qualification,  using  means  of  exciting  fears."  It 
was  charged  that  in  the  County  of  Oneida  children  were  whipped  to 
induce  them  to  submit  themselves  to  God.  The  charges  became  so 
violent  and  were  so  without  foundation  that  the  Presbytery  appointed 
a  committee  to  prepare  a  statement  of  facts  and  publish  them.  The 
General  Assembly  of  1832  published  a  pastoral  letter  of  advice  on 
revivals  advising  avoidance  of:  1.  Undue  excitement;  2.  All  bodily 
agitations  and  outcries;  3.  Indecorum  in  social  worship;  4.  Excess  of 
social  meetings  and  exercises;  5.  Teaching,  and  exhorting,  and  leading 
in  prayer  in  public  and  promiscuous  assemblies  by  women;  6.  The  dis- 
turbance of  the  settled  order  of  the  churches  by  superseding  office 
bearers  in  leading  the  social  exercises  of  religion,  and  substituting  young 
converts  for  them;  7.  Self-sent  or  irregular  preachers;  8.  Teachings 
inconsistent  with  the  doctrinal  standards  of  our  churches;  9.  Hurrying 
apparent  converts  into  the  church;  10.  Measures  for  promotion  of  re- 
vivals not  sanctioned  by  some  example  or  precept,  or  fair  and  sober 
inference  from  the  Word  of  God.  This  letter  specifically  warned  that 
it  did  not  condemn  revivals  of  religion. 

41 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Old  and  New  School  Division 

"For  several  years  prior  to  the  dissolution  of  The  Plan  of  Union, 
the  Presbyterian  Church  throughout  the  United  States  had  been 
greatly  distracted,  until  at  last  its  services  to  religion  hardly  prepon- 
derated over  the  evil  it  occasioned,  while  its  numbers  considerably 
declined.  In  the  four  years,  1833-1837,  its  membership  declined 
13,000."  The  more  conservative  party  commonly  called  the  "Old 
School"  charged  that  this  condition  was  due  to:  1.  The  various  plans 
of  union  with  the  Congregationalists ;  2.  The  irregularities  and  ex- 
travagances connected  with  revivals  of  religion  and  extending  to  the 
temperance  and  anti-slavery  enterprises,  alleged  to  prevail  particularly 
in  Central  and  Western  New  York;  3.  A  laxness  in  licentures  and 
ordinations  and  in  the  reception  of  ministers  from  other  bodies,  also  in 
existing  in  the  same  area;  4.  Errors  in  doctrine,  again  considered  most 
serious  in  this  area;  5.  The  method  of  conducting  the  missionary  and 
other  benevolent  operations  of  the  Church,  the  question  being  whether 
this  should  be  through  voluntary  societies,  composed  of  individual 
members  of  the  different  Christian  denominations,  and  responsible 
alone  to  those  constituents,  or  through  boards  organized,  supervised 
and  controlled  by  the  General  Assembly. 

The  balance  between  the  Old  School  and  New  School  parties  passed 
back  and  forth  for  several  years  by  a  small  majority.  For  the  most 
part  in  the  agitation  the  Old  School  was  the  aggressor,  while  the  New 
School  was  on  the  defensive.  In  1837  a  convention  of  delegates  from 
the  Old  School  Presbyteries  and  minorities  of  Presbyteries  met  before 
the  General  Assembly,  which  recited  their  grievances,  airing  the 
division  in  the  Church,  and  proposed  six  means  of  relief:  1.  Abrogation 
of  the  Plan  of  Union;  2.  "Discountenancing"'  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society  and  the  American  Education  Society  and  prevent- 
ing their  operations,  so  far  as  possible,  within  the  Presbyterian  Church; 
3.  Bringing  into  order  or  excluding  from  the  Presbyterian  Church 
every  church,  presbytery  and  synod  not  organized  on  Presbyterian 
principles;  4.  Requiring  an  examination  in  theology  and  Church  gov- 
ernment as  well  as  personal  piety  and  ministerial  qualiiications  of  all 
applicants  from  other  denominations  for  admission  to  presbyteries, 
and  an  explicit  adoption  by  them  of  the  Presbyterian  Confession  of 
Faith  and  Form  of  Government;  5.  The  immediate  disciplining  of 
ministers  charged  with  the  complained  ot  errors  and  the  immediate 
trial  of  Presbyteries  and  Synods  that  refused  to  so  discipline  their 
members;  6.  The  announcing  to  National  Benevolent  Societies,  other 

42 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

than  the  two  mentioned  above,  that  they  were  expected  to  exercise 
great  caution  in  the  selecting  of  agents  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

The  General  Assembly  fully  complied  with  these  proposals,  abro- 
gated the  Plan  of  Union,  and  declared  that  the  Synods  of  Utica,  Geneva, 
Genesee,  and  Western  Reserve  "to  be  out  of  the  ecclesiastical  connec- 
tion of  the  Presbyterian  Church." 

The  Presbytery  in  June  1837  adopted  the  following  resolution: 
"Whereas  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly,  the  Synods  of 
the  Western  Reserve,  Genesee,  Geneva,  and  Utica  were  by  an  act  of 
that  Body,  declared  'to  be  out  of  the  ecclesiastical  connexion  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  and  not  in  form, 
or  in  fact  an  integral  portion  of  said  Church';  And  whereas  the 
General  Assembly  derives  all  its  powers  from  the  Presbyteries,  and 
cannot  by  any  act  of  theirs,  or  in  any  way  affect  the  regular  organization 
of  Churches,  Presbyteries,  or  Synods,  except  in  the  manner  pointed 
out  by  the  Constitution,  viz.,  by  citation  and  trial;  and 

"Whereas  it  is  a  question  of  deep  and  solemn  interest,  to  decide  what 
course  ought  to  be  taken  by  those  Bodies,  Therefore 

"Resolved,  That  a  Convention  be  called  as  soon  as  practicable,  to 
deliberate  and  decide  what  course  of  proceeding  our  present  condition 
demands,  and  that  we  recommend  the  several  Presbyteries  belonging 
to  the  aforesaid  Synods  to  send  to  the  Convention  four  times  the 
number  of  delegates,  which  they  have  been  accusitomed  to  send  to  the 
General  Assembly. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Convention  be  invited  to  Assemble  at  Rochester 
on  Thursday  the  17th  day  of  August  next  at  2  o'clock  P.  M."  (1837). 

Subsequently  the  committee  appointed  by  Oneida  Presbytery  re- 
ported that,  after  they  had  sent  out  the  letters  of  invitation,  they  had 
received  information  that  the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga  had  called  a 
similar  Convention  for  the  same  day  at  Auburn  and  requested  that 
Oneida  Presbytery  concur  in  this  place  of  meeting.  The  Presbytery 
approved  of  the  acquiescence  of  the  committee. 

The  Auburn  Convention  expressed  the  sentiments  of  the  New 
School  portion  of  the  Church.  The  action  of  Oneida  Presbytery, 
Feb.  21,  1838,  more  specifically  expressed  the  sentiments  of  the  Synod 
of  Utica,  and  Dr.  P.  H.  Fowler  commends  it  for  its  moderation  and 
Christian  spirit: 

43 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"1.  It  is  the  wish  of  this  Presbytery  to  continue  its  connection  with 
the  General  Assembly,  if  this  can  be  done  consistently  with  what  we 
hold   to   be   our  duties   and   rights   as   Christians   and    Presbyterians, 

2.  We  prefer  a  separation  from  that  body  to  a  continuance  of  a  con- 
nection with  it  on  any  basis  that  would  violate  our  convictions  of  what 
is  binding  upon  us  and  due  us,  or  that  would  keep  up  the  unhappy 
contentions    that    have    for    so    many    years    distracted    the    Church. 

3.  That  to  facilitate  our  peaceful  connection  with  the  Assembly,  we 
declare  our  honest  attachment  to  the  doctrines,  government,  discipline 
and  worship  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  as  set  forth  in  the  constitution, 
as  we  declare  our  purpose  to  maintain  the  same  by  all  proper  means 
among  the  churches  committed  to  our  care,  and  to  exercise  discipline 
for  violations  of  them,  at  such  times  and  by  such  measures  as  shall  ap- 
pear to  us  most  conducive  to  truth  and  order.  4.  That  we  have  regarded 
the  plan  by  which  churches  wholly  or  in  part  Congregational  were 
admitted  to  our  ecclesiastical  counsels  as  called  for  by  the  circum- 
stances of  this  country  at  its  early  settlement,  as  helpful  to  the  edifica- 
tion and  influence  of  the  church  generally,  and  as  accordant  with  the 
spirit,  if  not  sanctioned  by  the  letter  of  our  laws;  and  that  while  we 
consent  to  aim  at  greater  uniformity  in  our  churches  as  the  occasion 
for  the  plan  passes  away,  we  cannot  consent  to  an  abrupt  severance 
of  the  relations  that  have  been  formed  under  it.  5.  That  while  we  re- 
gard the  acts  of  the  Assembly  in  cutting  off  the  Synods  of  Western 
Reserve,  Utica,  Geneva,  and  Genesee  as  violations  of  the  constitution 
of  the  Church  and  of  our  rights  and  of  Christian  kindness,  we  do  not 
approve  of  any  means  to  restore  us  to  our  legitimate  place  save  such 
as  shall  remove  misapprehensions  of  us  and  reconcile  our  brethren  to 
us,  and  provide  for  future  peace  and  fellowship  and  cooperation. 
6.  That  if  the  next  General  Assembly  shall  decline  to  admit  us  to  it, 
then  we  desire  a  friendly  conference  for  effecting  an  amicable  and 
equitable  separation  from  it;  and  that  failing  this,  our  Commissioners 
shall  return  and  report  to  us,  without  any  attempt  to  commit  us  to  any 
ulterior  measures  or  organization." 

The  Assembly  of  1838  refused  to  seat  the  commissioners  from  the 
excised  Presbyteries,  who  then  proceeded  to  organize  their  own  Assem- 
bly in  the  chapel  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia. 
When  the  commissioners  from  Oneida  Presbytery  reported  what  had 
been  done,  despite  the  final  portion  of  its  resolution  above,  it  ap- 
proved of  the  action  and  directed  its  congregations  to  take  immediate 
and  liberal  collections  for  the  contingent  fund  of  the  new  General 
Assembly. 

44 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

Division  is  often  unwholesome,  but  it  seems  in  this  case  to  have 
turned  out  for  the  best.  It  broke  up  the  contention  and  left  both 
parties  free  for  Christian  work,  so  that  when  after  more  than  30  years 
of  separation  they  came  together  again  it  was  in  perfect  agreement  and 
with  each  of  them  stronger  in  numbers  than  the  two  together  at  the 
time  they  parted  company. 

Presbytery  of  Utica 

From  1824,  when  an  appeal  to  the  Synod  to  divide  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida  and  constitute  a  Presbytery  of  Utica  was  evidently  not 
approved,  occasional  attempts  were  made  to  secure  a  division.  In 
1829  a  proposal  to  set  off  the  churches  in  Herkimer  County  as  the 
Presbytery  of  Herkimer  was  abandoned  after  debate.  In  1835  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  study  the  matter  reported  that  division  then  was 
inexpedient;  and  again  in  1839  a  committee  could  not  devise  a  feasible 
plan.  The  next  year  a  plan  was  proposed  by  a  new  committee  and 
rejected  by  the  Presbytery.  Finally  action  was  achieved  through  the 
addressing  of  a  petition  to  the  Synod  of  Utica  in  January  1843,  by  five 
members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  as  follows: 
"To  the  Synod  of  Utica  now  in  session: 

"Dear  Brethren:  The  undersigned  members  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Oneida  do  respectfully  ask  synod  to  divide  the  Presbytery  for  the 
following  reasons,  to  wit: 

"1.  The  geographical  limits  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  embracing 
thirty-two  churches  and  thirty-three  ministers,  are  so  extensive  that 
a  part  of  the  churches  cannot  be  represented  in  the  ordinary  meetings 
of  Presbytery  without  great  inconvenience. 

"2.  The  General  Assembly  having  rediiced  the  ratio  of  representation 
to  one  minister  and  one  elder  to  each  Presbytery,  it  necessarily  makes 
the  representation  of  the  Presbytery  very  unequal — and  the  fact  that 
the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  being  so  large — a  great  amount  of  business 
occurs  requiring  of  the  members  a  great  sacrifice  of  time  and  money. 

"We  therefore  ask  Synod  to  organize  the  following  churches  with 
their  pastors  into  a  Presbytery  to  be  called  the  Presbytery  of  Utica; 
to  wit:  Boonville,  Trenton,  Holland  Patent,  Rome,  Oriskany,  Whites- 
borough,  New  York  Mills,  Utica,  Deerfield,  and  New  Hartford  to- 
gether with  the  churches  now  belonging  to  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
situated  in  the  county  of  Herkimer. 

45 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"And  that  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  consist  of  the  following  churches 
with  their  pastors  to  wit:  Western,  Durhamville,  Skenondoa,  Verona, 
Vernon.  Sangerfield,  Cassville,  Sauquoit,  and  all  other  churches  be- 
longing to  the  Presbytery  to  be  divided  not  included  within  the  bounds 
of  the  proposed  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

"And  that  all  members  of  Oneida  Presbytery  now  laboring  within 
the  bounds  of  this  Presbytery  not  as  settled  pastors  may  elect  to 
which  of  the  two  Presbyteries  they  will  belong.'" 

The  Synod  granted  the  petition  and  directed  the  Presbytery  of 
Utica  to  meet  at  Whitesborough  on  the  2nd  Tuesday  of  February  next 
at  2  o'clock  P.  M.  and  that  the  Rev.  Charles  Jones  preach  the  sermon 
and  that  the  oldest  minister  present  preside  until  a  moderator  be  chosen. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  met  as  a  whole  for  the  last  time  at  Utica 
on  February  8,  1843  and  completed  such  matters  of  business  as  it  had 
in  progress  and  made  arrangements  for  pro  rating  its  outstanding  debts. 
Revs.  D.  Clark,  E.  Allen,  and  C.  E.  Goodrich  gave  notice  of  their 
election  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

The  Presbytery  of  Utica  met  according  to  direction  on  February 
14,  1843  and  the  Rev.  Ira  Pettibone  was  elected  Moderator  and  the 
Rev.  Charles  L.  Porter  as  temporary  clerk.  Subsequently  Mr.  Petti- 
bone was  elected  Stated  Clerk  and  Mr.  Porter  treasurer  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. Of  those  ministers  authorized  to  choose  with  which  Pres- 
bytery they  would  be  affiliated  the  Revs.  T.  Spencer,  F.  A.  Spencer, 
David  Chassell,  E.  Allen,  Oliver  Wetmore,  Chauncy  E.  Goodrich,  Rufus 
Piatt  were  enrolled.  These  and  other  organizational  business  occupied 
the  two-day  session,  save  for  the  appointment  and  report  of  a  com- 
mittee to  prepare  a  memorial  to  the  General  Assembly  on  the  subject 
of  slavery,  which  report  was  tabled  until  an  adjourned  meeting  in 
April  at  New  Hartford. 

The  Presbytery  at  the  adjourned  meeting  also  presented  a  request 
to  the  General  Assembly  that  it  restore  the  annual  meetings  of  that 
body,  listing  five  lengthy  reasons  for  its  petition. 

At  this  meeting  Rev.  Daniel  Clark,  Jr..  declared  his  election  to  be  a 
member  of  Utica  Presbytery;  and  the  Rev.  Daniel  L,  Ogden  requested 
that  he  and  the  church  at  Whitesboro  be  dismissed  and  recommended 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida.  There  is  no  evidence  that  the  pastor  was 
authorized  to  speak  for  his  church,  and  on  June  28th  he  withdrew  the 
request. 

46 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

In  the  meantime  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  on  June  20th,  1843  had 
adopted  the  following  memorial  to  the  Synod  of  Utica: 
"The  Oneida  Presbytery  to  the  Synod  of  Utica: 

"Dear  Brethren:  Since  your  adjourned  meeting  at  Rome  in  January 
last,  we  have  received  a  communication  from  your  stated  clerk  in- 
forming us  officially  that  you  had  divided  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida. 
Upon  reviewing  the  records  in  this  case  and  after  obtaining  all  the  in- 
formation in  relation  to  this  matter  which  we  have  been  able  to  secure, 
we  feel  bound  as  the  lovers  of  order  and  as  the  friends  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  to  address  you  upon  this  subject. 

"It  appears  by  the  record  which  you  have  transmitted  to  us,  that 
five  individual  members  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  petitioned  the  Synod 
of  Utica  at  their  last  session  for  a  division  of  this  body.  They  set 
forth  in  their  petition  to  you  that  the  Oneida  Presbytery  when  fully 
convened  consisted  of  sixty-five  members.  They  did  not  intimate  that 
they  were  a  committee  appointed  by  Presbytery  to  present  this  subject 
to  Synod.  They  did  not  inform  you,  as  truly  they  could  not,  that  the 
Presbytery  were  aware  of  their  intentions  of  asking  for  a  division  of 
the  body.  They  did  not  tell  you  that  the  subject  had  recently  been  up 
for  discussion  before  the  Presbytery  and  that  a  large  majority  of  its 
members  were  anxious  for  a  division.  They  did  not  tell  you  that  a 
large  majority  of  Presbytery  were  on  the  floor  of  Synod  and  could 
easily  speak  for  themselves  touching  this  matter. 

"Nor  did  they  tell  you  it  was  now  the  commencement  of  your 
session  and  before  the  close  there  would  be  much  time  for  deliberation 
upon  the  subject.  On  the  contrary,  just  at  the  close  of  your  session  at 
a  very  late  hour  of  the  night  when  very  few  of  the  members  of  Synod 
and  fewer  still  of  the  members  of  Oneida  Presbytery  were  present, 
when  the  thought  had  not  even  been  hinted  to  Presbytery  that  the 
subject  of  dividing  this  body  would  be  presented  for  your  consideration, 
when  not  even  a  committee  of  Presbytery  were  acting  in  the  premises, 
or  even  a  tenth  part  of  the  body  knew  anything  of  the  matter,  that 
under  these  circumstances,  upon  the  application  of  five  individuals,  the 
Synod  of  Utica  should  have  proceeded  to  divide  this  Presbytery  is  a 
matter  both  of  grief  and  astonishment.  And  especially  are  we  aggrieved 
and  surprised  when  we  contemplate  the  manner  in  which  the  division 
has  been  effected.  The  division  is  constituted  in  such  a  manner  that 
only  three  ministers  of  necessity  are  left  as  members  of  Oneida  Pres- 
bytery, and  one  of  these  is  a  pastor  of  a  Congregational  church  and 
likely  at  any  time  to  become  connected  with  an  Association. 

47 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

"Now,  brethren,  we  ask  is  such  a  transaction  consistent  with  the 
order  and  polity  of  the  Presbyterian  Church?  Shall  the  wishes  of  five 
individuals  be  regarded  while  sixty  others  having  the  same  rights  and 
privileges  are  entirely  to  be  passed  by  without  a  hearing?  Brethren, 
what  will  be  the  consequence  if  such  a  state  of  things  is  allowed  in  the 
Church?  We  beseech  you,  therefore,  dear  brethren,  to  review  this 
whole  matter  and  either  constitute  a  new  division  by  setting  off  the 
Churches  of  Whitesborough  and  Rome  to  the  Oneida  Presbytery  and 
a  sufficient  number  of  ministers,  or  take  such  action  in  the  premises  as 
Synod  in  its  wisdom  may  think  proper." 

In  June  the  matter  came  before  the  Presbytery  of  Utica  and  it  was 
directed  that  "the  sense  of  the  churches  in  Rome,  Oriskany,  and 
Whitesboro  be  taken  on  the  subject  of  their  being  transferred  to  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida."  At  the  next  meeting  it  voted,  "Resolved  that 
this  Presbytery  deem  it  inexpedient  for  S3mod  to  transfer  any  of  our 
churches  from  this  to  Oneida  Presbytery  against  the  wishes  of  said 
churches." 

When  the  Synod  met  that  fall,  "the  committee  to  whom  was  re- 
ferred the  Memorial  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  in  reference  to  the 
act  of  Synod  in  dividing  that  Presbytery  and  of  the  churches  of  Sau- 
quoit  and  Whitesboro  to  change  their  relation  respectfully  report  that 
they  recommend  to  Synod  that  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  be  united  to 
and  with  the  Presbytery  of  Utica;  which  report  was  accepted  and 
adopted. 

"Resolved  that  the  Pastors,  Ministers,  and  Churches  as  now  com- 
prising the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  and  the  licentiates  and  records  be  and 
they  are  hereby  transferred  to  the  Presbytery  of  Utica." 

Thus  passed  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  through  the  blundering  and 
hasty  action  of  a  Synod  hurrying  to  adjourn  its  session.  Dr.  Fowler 
comments,  "The  venerable  name  of  Oneida  was  thus  almost  sacre- 
ligiously  erased  from  the  rolls  of  Presbyteries."  The  Presbytery  of 
Utica,  however,  may  proudly  consider  herself  to  be  one  with  this 
pioneer  Presbytery  and  seek  through  all  of  her  days  to  perpetuate  the 
earnestness  and  zeal  displayed  in  those  forty-one  years  when  she  min- 
istered the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  to  a  rapidly  growing  population  here 
on  the  frontiers. 


48 


FIRST   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH,   ONEIDA 
Erected  1884 


COCHRAN  MEMORIAL  CHURCH,  ONEIDA  CASTLE 

Erected   1886 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 
Reunion  of  Old  and  New  School 

By  1843,  problems  began  to  arise  from  the  conflicting  work  of  the 
Old  and  New  School  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  In  Feb- 
ruary of  that  year,  a  complaint  was  lodged  with  the  Presbytery  of 
Albany  (Old  School)  over  holding  a  session  of  its  Presbytery  in  Utica 
and  organizing  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  cordial  relationship  existed  between  the  West- 
minster Church  of  Utica  (Old  School)  and  the  Presbytery  of  Utica,  so 
that  when  First  Church,  Utica,  burned  a  few  months  before  the  new 
School  General  Assembly  was  scheduled  to  meet  there  in  1851,  West- 
minster Church  offered  the  use  of  their  building  "so  relieving  the  Pres- 
bytery of  embarrassment."  In  1862,  the  Church  at  Oneida  Castle 
transferred  its  membership  to  the  Presbytery  of  Mohawk  (Old  School) 
and  four  years  later,  the  Westminster  Church  was  received  by  the 
Presbytery  of  Utica. 

In  1867,  the  Presbytery  expressed  itself  as  being  in  favor  of  uniting 
the  Old  and  New  School  branches,  but  voted  to  ascertain  the  opinion 
of  the  church  sessions.  Two  years  later  it  approved  of  the  plan  for 
reuniting  the  Church  as  proposed  by  a  joint  committee  of  the  two 
Assemblies.  The  reunion  being  effected,  the  Presbytery  called  the 
attention  of  its  ministers  and  churches  to  the  Assembly's  recommenda- 
tion that  some  time  between  five  and  seven  every  Sabbath  evening  be 
set  aside  for  special  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  God's  Spirit  through- 
out the  reunited  church. 

In  June  1870,  the  reconstructed  Synod  of  Utica  met  at  Oneida  to 
plan  the  reconstruction  of  its  Presbyteries;  and  it  directed  that  the 
Presbytery  of  Utica  consist  of  the  counties  of  Oneida,  Herkimer,  and 
Lewis,  and  the  churches  of  Williamstown  in  Oswego  County  and  Oneida 
in  Madison  County.  The  Presbytery  was  ordered  to  meet  at  Whites- 
boro  on  Monday,  June  27th,  at  7:30  o'clock  p.m.,  and  "that  Rev.  A.  H. 
Corliss,  or  in  his  absence  the  last  moderator  of  the  old  Presbytery 
present,  preach  the  sermon  and  preside  until  a  moderator  is  chosen." 
The  reconstructed  Presbytery  seems  to  have  consisted  of  forty-eight 
churches,  some  of  which  were  weak  and  soon  after  were  dissolved. 

In  October  1875,  the  Presbytery  of  Utica  decided  to  incorporate  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  which  had  been  passed  that  year.    The  Corporate  name 

49 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

decided  upon  was  "The  Trustees  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica;"  and  the 
number  of  trustees  was  set  at  seven,  who  were  then  elected. 

The  trustees  met  promptly,  and  organized  the  board.  Steps  were 
taken  to  provide  a  set  of  by-laws,  which  were  adopted  in  January  1876. 

The  expenses  of  the  Presbytery  and  Synod  were  provided  for  a  con- 
siderable period  of  the  Presbytery's  life  through  special  collections  taken 
in  the  churches  and  at  meetings  of  the  Presbytery.  At  an  early  date 
the  General  Assembly  funds  were  raised  by  a  per  capita  tax.  In 
October  1871  it  was  determined  to  adopt  an  all  inclusive  per  capita  tax 
for  these  purposes. 

The  Synod  of  New  York  in  1936  directed  that  the  Presbytery  of 
Utica  enroll  the  ministers  and  churches  which  had  comprised  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida  (Welsh),  and  on  January  18,  1937  the  representa- 
tives of  the  churches  and  the  ministers  of  that  Presbytery  were  wel- 
comed into  the  membership  of  Utica  Presbytery.  The  churches  re- 
ceived were  Camroden  of  Floyd,  Zion  of  New  Hartford,  First,  Enlli, 
and  Nant  of  Remsen,  Bethel  of  Rome,  and  Moriah  of  Utica. 

The  Presbytery  now  consists  of  48  churches  and  47  ministers.  There 
are  11,572  communicant  members  in  her  churches,  and  4,487  pupils  in 
her  Sunday  Schools.  For  the  year  1941-42  the  Churches  raised  $185,- 
805  for  benevolences.  Four  ministers  of  the  Presbytery  are  now  serv- 
ing as  chaplains  in  the  Army  and  Navy. 


SO 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

(*Gharter  Members.       jNow  Members) 

Annsville   (Taberg) — Received  from  Oswego  Presbytery   1845;   ex- 
tinct 1878. 
fAugusta — Organized  1797;  enrolled  1866. 
♦fBoonville — Organized  1805;  enrolled  1843. 

Camden  Congregational — Received  from  Oswego  Presbytery  1865; 
dismissed  to  Congregational  Association  1867. 
f Camden  Presbyterian — Organized  and  enrolled  1867;  federated  with 
Congregational  Church  1931. 
Cassville — Received  1843  by  reunion  of  Oneida  Presbytery;  extinct 

1857. 
Clayville— Enrolled  1857;  dissolved  1899. 
f Clinton,  Stone — Organized  1791;   Received  from  Oneida  Congrega- 
tional Association  1864. 
^Columbia — Enrolled  1843;  stricken  from  roll  1849. 
*Danube— Enrolled  1843;  stricken  from  roll  1849. 

Delta— Enrolled  1852;  dissolved  1861. 
fDolgeville — Organized  1893;  enrolled  1894. 
Durhamville — Received  1843  by  reunion  of  Oneida  Presbytery;  ex- 
tinct 1878. 
*Fairfield— Enrolled  1843;  extinct  1870. 

Florence— Enrolled  1860;  withdrew  1875. 
*Floyd— Enrolled  1843;  last  mentioned  1861. 
fFloyd,  Camroden — Organized  1839;  received  1936  from  Presbytery 

of  Oneida  (Welsh) 
fForestport  (and  Alder  Creek) — Organized  1839;  enrolled  1866. 
Glenfield  (Glendale) — Organized  and  enrolled  1892;  dissolved  1914. 
Grant  (Booth)— Enrolled  1857;  extinct  1891. 
Hamilton  College — Enrolled  1863;  dismissed  1931. 
*tHolland  Patent — Organized   1797;   enrolled   1843. 
fllion — Organized  and  enrolled  1871. 

flnlet,  Church  of  the  Lakes — Organized  1920;  enrolled  1921. 
fKirkland — Organized  1817;  enrolled  1884. 
Knoxboro — Organized  and  enrolled  1872;   dismissed  1927. 
*tLitchfield  (Jerusalem  Hill)— Organized  1796;  enrolled  1843. 
fLittle  Falls — Organized  1793;  reorganized  1813;  received  by  Recon- 
struction 1870. 
fLowville — Organized  1803;  received  by  Reconstruction  1870. 

51 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

fLyons  Falls,  Forest — Organized   1826;   first  mention  in  Presbytery 

1869. 
fMartinsburg — Received  by  Reconstruction  1870. 
♦fNew   Hartford,   First — Organized    1791;    Presbyterian  organization 
1802;  enrolled  1843. 
fNew  Hartford,  Zion — Organized  1888;  received  1936  from  Presby- 
tery of  Oneida  (Welsh). 
Newport— Enrolled  1852;  extinct  1870. 
*tNew  York  Mills,  Walcott  Memorial— Organized  1830;  enrolled  1843. 
North  Bay — Received  from  Oswego  Presbytery  1862;  extinct  1870. 
*tNorth  Gage  (Deerfield)— Organized  1829;  enrolled  1843. 
Northwood — Organized  and  enrolled  1890;  dismissed  1927. 
♦Norway — Enrolled  1843;  extinct  1862. 
fNorwich  Corners — Organized  1798;  enrolled  1857. 
*Ohio  (West  Brunswick)— Enrolled  1843;  extinct  1891. 
fold  Forge,  Niccolls  Memorial — Organized  and  enrolled  1897. 
fOneida — Organized  1844;  received  by  Reconstruction  1870. 
fOneida  Castle,  Cochran  Memorial  (Skenandoa) — Received  1843  by 
reunion  of  Oneida  Presbytery;  dismissed  1862;  received  by  Re- 
construction 1870. 
Oneida  Valley — Received  by  Reconstruction  1870;  extinct  1878. 
*tOriskany,  Waterbury  Memorial — Organized  1831;  enrolled  1843. 
Osceola— Enrolled  1863;  withdrew  1873. 

Redfield — Received  from  Syracuse  Presbytery  1870;  dismissed  1927. 
Remsen,  Union — Received  1843  by  reunion  of  Oneida  Presbytery; 
dissolved  1846. 
fRemsen,  First — Organized  1831 ;  received  from  Presbytery  of  Oneida 

(Welsh)  1936. 
fRemsen,  Enlli — Organized  1848;  received  from  Presbytery  of  Oneida 

(Welsh)  1936. 
fRemsen,  Nant — Organized  1800;  received  from  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
(Welsh)  1936. 
*tRome,  First— Organized  1800;  enrolled  1843. 
*Rome,  Second — Enrolled  1843;  united  with  Rome  First  1847. 
fRome,    Bethel — Organized     1841;     received    from    Presbytery    of 

Oneida  (Welsh)  1936. 
*Russia — Enrolled  1843;  extinct. 
♦Salisbury,  First — Enrolled  1843;  extinct. 
Salisbury,  Second   (Devereux) — Organized  and  enrolled   1843;   ex- 
tinct. 

52 


Oneida  and  Utica  Presbyteries 

fSauquoit,  Union — Organized   1810;   received  by  reunion  of  Oneida 
Presbytery  1843. 

fSouth  Trenton — Organized  1858;  enrolled  1859. 

*Trenton— Enrolled   1843;   extinct  1878. 

fTurin — Received  by  Reconstruction  1870. 
*tUtica,  First — -Organized  1813;  enrolled  1843. 

fUtica,  Bethany — Organized  1869;  enrolled  1870. 

*Utica,  Congregational — Enrolled  1843;  dismissed  1847. 
Utica,  Elizabeth  Street — Enrolled  1868;  dissolved  1891. 
Utica,  Highland— Organized  1894;  enrolled  1895;  dissolved  1899. 

fUtica,  Moriah — Organized  1831;  received  from  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
(Welsh)  1936. 

fUtica,  Olivet — Organized  and  enrolled  1887. 

fUtica,  Say  re  Memorial  (West  Utica) — Organized  and  enrolled  1868. 

fUtica,  Westminster — Organized  1843;   received  from  Presbytery  of 
Mohawk  1866. 

fVernon,  Mt.  Vernon — Organized  1805;  received  by  reunion  of  Oneida 
Presbytery,  1843. 

fVernon  Center — Enrolled  1851. 

fVerona — Organized  1803;  received  by  reunion  of  Oneida  Presbytery 
1843. 

*Warren — Enrolled  1843;  last  mentioned  1846. 

fWaterville  (Sangerfield) — Organized   1823;   received  by  reunion  of 
Oneida  Presbytery  1843. 

fWestdale  (West  Camden) — Organized  1851 ;  received  by  Reconstruc- 
tion 1870;  federated  with  Methodist  Church  1942. 

fWesternville   (Western) — Organized   1818;    received  by  reunion  of 

Oneida  Presbytery  1843. 
West  Turin — Received  by  Reconstruction  1870;  extinct  1878. 
*tWhitesboro  (United  Society  of  Whitesborough  and  Old  Fort  Schuy- 
ler)— Organized    1786;    Presbyterian    Organization    1794;    en- 
rolled 1843. 

fWilliamstown — Organized   1810;   received  by  Reconstruction   1870; 
federated  with  Methodist  Church  1942. 

fYorkville — Organized  1917;  enrolled  1918. 


53 


MINISTERS  OF  UTIGA  PRESBYTERY 

March  15,  1943 


S.  Carlyle  Adams 
Cady  H.  Allen 
O.  Theodore  Anderson 
Herbert  Nelson  Baird 
R.  Wynne  Bellis 
James  H.  Boal 
Harry  V.  Bonner 
John  Boyce 
Walter  B.  Brock 
Thomas  Glenn  Cannen 
W.  Arden  Coe 
Philip  H.  Cole 
Arthur  T.  Cort 
David  C.  Davies 
William  Eilian  Davies 
Charles  M.  Dodge 
Francis  G.  Doerschug 
Edmond  G.  Dyett 
Walter  I.  Eaton 
W.  J.  A.  Graham 
Kenneth  L.  Huggins 
Joseph  D.  Ibbotson 
Robert  G.  Jones 

Samuel 


William  O.  Jones 
Emanuel  J.  Kallina 
Andrew  I.  Keener 
John  M.  MacQuarrie 
Frank  E.  Magor 
Grant  S.  Miller 
James  J.  Morley 
Raymond  E.  Muthard 
Aurelian  a.  Post 
Clarence  B.  Post 
Frank  A.  Reed 
James  F.  Riggs 
Vernon  T.  Smith 
Reuben  S.  Snyder 
Samuel  Southern 
Tracy  Day  Spencer 
George  B.  Swinnerton 
J.  Harold  Thomson 
Frank  W.  Twitchell 
Alfred  DeG.  Vogler 
Paul  Wagner 
Robert  R.  Williams 
Harold  Worden  Wylie 
John  Wylie 


Corresponding  Members 

Stanley  Skinner  Louis  M.  Sweet,  Ph.D. 

B.  A.  Walton 


54 


Outline  of  the  History  of  The  Presbyteries 
of  Oneida— 1802  to  1843 
of  Utica  —1843  to  1943 


Page 

Early  History  of  Oneida  Presbytery 9 

Home  Missions  13 

The  Plan  of  Union  17 

Christian  Education 19 

Foreign   Missions   22 

Benevolences    ^ 22 

Moral  and  Social  Reform 24 

Sabbath  Observance ^ 24 

Slavery    ^ 25 

Temperance     — 29 

Fashionable   Amusements   .—  31 

Dancing 31 

Theatricals    ,...  32 

Attitude  on  War  32 

Revivals     38 

Old  and  New  School  Division. 42 

Presbytery  of  Utica  organized  by  division  of  Oneida  Presbytery 45 

Union  of  Oneida  Presbytery  with  Utica  Presbytery 47 

Reunion  of  Old  and  New  School 49 

Incorporation  of  Presbytery  of  Utica 49 

Union  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  (Welsh)  with  Utica 50 

Summary  of  the  present  Presbytery 50 

Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 51 

Ministers  of  Utica  Presbytery,  March  15,  1943 54 


55 


THE  ONEIDA  COUNTY  PRESBYTERY 
(WELSH) 

(1828—1936) 
By  Rev.  R.  Wynne  Bellis* 

The  "Calvinistic  Methodist  Church/'  or  as  it  is  now  known,  "The 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Wales,"  is  a  product  of  the  Methodist  Re- 
vival which  took  place  in  Wales  under  the  leadership  of  Howell  Harris 
and  Rev.  Daniel  Rowlands,  independently  of,  but  simultaneously 
with  the  revival  in  England  under  the  leadership  of  Revs.  John  and 
Charles  Wesley,  and  George  Whitefield,  in  the  early  part  of  the  18th 
century.  Following  the  separation  of  Wesley  and  W^hitefield  owing  to 
the  differences  in  their  theological  views,  the  followers  of  Whitefield 
called  themselves  Calvinistic  IVIethodists,  or  Whitefield  Methodists. 
The  Stone  Church,  now  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Remsen,  was 
first  named    (Methodistiaid  Whitefield) — Whitefield  Methodists. 

It  was  George  Whitefield  that  moderated  the  first  Assembly  meeting 
of  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  ^vlethodist  Church  at  Watford,  Glamorgan- 
shire, January  5,  1742. 

The  fervor  of  the  Revival  still  burned  brightly  in  the  hearts  of  the 
early  pioneers  of  the  Welsh  Methodists  when  they  settled  in  this 
country. 

The  iirst  emigrants  from  Wales  that  came  to  Oneida  County  during 
the  later  end  of  the  18th  century,  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Utica,  and 
in  the  townships  of  Steuben  and  Remsen.  The  first  Welsh 
sermon  in  the  settlement  was  delivered  in  1801  by  Rev.  James 
Harries,  a  Baptist  minister.  The  same  year  a  church  was  organized 
in  Steuben  and  registered  under  the  name  of  "The  First  IMethodist 
Church  of  Steuben."  Among  its  members  were  Baptists,  Congrega- 
tionalists  and  Methodists.  A  log  church  building  was  erected  the  same 
year.  In  the  course  of  time,  it  appears  that  the  church  departed  from 
its  Methodist  doctrine  and  discipline  and  became  Congregational. 
Twenty-four  of  its  members  that  remained  faithful  to  the  Calvinistic 
Methodist  principles  were  organized  according  to  the  laws  of  the  state, 
into  a  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  of  Penycaerau  on  the  26th  of 
February  1824. 


*Last  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida   (Welsh)   and  of  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  Vermont  (Welsh). 

56 


I 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

So  the  first  recognized  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in 
America  was  organized  on  the  above  mentioned  date  at  Penycaerau, 
and  the  church  building  was  opened  on  August  1st  of  the  same  year, 
with  a  sermon  by  Rev.  W.  G.  Pierce,  on  Matt.  16:18:  "Upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it." 

According  to  a  letter  to  Elder  James  Owen,  Penycaerau,  from 
Rev.  John  Elias  of  Anglesea,  Wales,  Penycaerau  Church  was  recognized 
as  a  member  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  of  Wales  by  the 
Assembly  held  in  Caernarvon,  North  Wales,  September  27-28,  1826. 
The  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in  America  retained  its  membership 
in  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Assembly  of  Wales  until  it  organized  its 
own  General  Assembly  in  1869. 

Benjamin  Davies,  a  young  man  from  Risca,  Monmouthshire,  was 
the  first  minister  of  the  denomination  in  this  country.  He  began  to 
preach  in  1826  while  a  member  of  Penycaerau  Church,  and  because 
of  the  peculiar  and  unusual  circumstances,  was  ordained  to  the  full 
privileges  of  the  Gospel  Ministry  the  following  year  by  special  per- 
mission of  the  Assembly  in  Wales. 

It  is  said  that  when  Mr.  Davies  had  preaching  appointments  in 
Utica,  he  would  walk  all  the  way  from  Remsen  to  Utica  on  Saturday, 
marking  the  trees  on  his  way  down,  in  order  that  he  might  follow  the 
same  path  on  his  return  journey  on  Monday,  receiving  the  sum  of 
one  dollar  for  his  labors. 

This  good  man  did  the  work  of  a  pioneer.  He  died  in  1836,  and 
his  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  Penycaerau  Cemetery.  Years  later 
the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Vermont  (Welsh)  erected  a  beautiful 
monument  to  mark  his  grave  and  as  a  tribute  to  his  memory. 

In  1828  four  churches  were  organized,  three  in  the  vicinity  of 
Remsen,  viz:  Nant,  Penygraig,  and  French  Road,  and  the  New  York 
City  Welsh  Church.  On  May  10,  1828,  the  first  Welsh  Calvinistic 
Methodist  (Gymanfa)  Assembly  in  America  was  held  in  Penycaerau; 
up  to  that  time  the  only  church  building  of  the  denomination  in  this 
country.  So  within  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  (Welsh) 
the  first  church  was  organized,  the  first  church  building  erected,  the 
first  minister  ordained,  and  the  first  Assembly  held;  all  at  Penycaerau, 
two  miles  east  of  the  village  of  Remsen. 

From  this  time  on  the  work  progressed  rapidly.  Moriah  Church, 
Utica,  was  organized  in  1830,  and  Stone  Church,  Remsen,  in   1831. 

57 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

By  1843  there  were  20  churches,  also  additional  preaching  stations  and 
Sunday  schools;  all  in  Oneida  and  Lewis  Counties,  with  the  exception 
of  the  New  York  City  Church. 

Among  the  pioneer  ministers  there  were  some  truly  great  preachers, 
such  as  Rev.  William  Rowlands,  D.D.,  fluent  in  both  English  and 
Welsh  languages.  It  may  be  said  that  what  Rev.  Thomas  Charles 
of  Bala,  was  to  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in  Wales  during  its 
formative  p)eriod,  Dr.  Rowlands  was  to  the  Calvinistic  Methodist 
Church  in  the  "New  World"  during  the  romance  of  its  pioneering  days. 
A  Christian  statesman  and  organizer  of  rare  ability,  he  saw  the  need 
of  unity  and  supervision  of  the  churches,  not  only  those  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Oneida,  but  also  of  all  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Churches 
in  America.  With  that  idea  in  mind  he  was  tireless  in  his  efforts  to  have 
a  General  Assembly  on  similar  lines  as  the  one  in  Wales,  organized  and 
established  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

Knowing  the  need  of,  as  well  as  the  influence  of  good  literature  in 
the  homes  of  the  people  as  they  settled  here  among  new  and  strange 
environments,  he  published  and  edited  "Y  Cyfaill"  (The  Friend),  the 
first  Welsh  religious  magazine  in  this  country.  The  first  number  ap- 
peared in  January  1838,  and  issued  unremittedly  until  December  1933. 

Rev.  Thomas  Foulkes,  grandfather  of  Dr.  William  Hiram 
Foulkes,  was  examined  by,  and  received  as  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
bytery at  Remsen  in  1847.  Mr.  Foulkes  was  pastor  of  Moriah  Church, 
Utica,  1847-1849,  and  a  second  time  from  1852  to  1855.  He  was  a 
popular  preacher  and  successful  pastor. 

Rev.  William  Roberts,  D.D.,  was  one  of  the  most  powerful 
preachers  of  his  time,  and  an  able  theologian.  In  1877  he  delivered 
an  address  before  the  Alumni  of  Princeton  on  "Education  in  the  Cal- 
vinistic Methodist  Church  in  Wales."  His  son,  W.  H.  Roberts,  who 
became  Stated  Clerk  of  the  General  Assembly,  was  examined  by  and 
received  as  a  member  of  Oneida  Presbytery  at  the  meeting  held  in 
French  Road  Church,  December  13-14,  1877. 

The  stated  meetings  of  the  Presbyter}^  were  called  Monthly  Meet- 
ings and  Quarterly  Meetings.  The  Quarterly  Meetings  were  sometimes 
referred  to  as  "Cymanfa"  (Synod).  Both  monthly  and  quarterly  meet- 
ings would  be  in  session  for  two  days.  The  morning  and  afternoon  of 
the  first  day,  and  from  8  to  10  a.m.  the  second  day  was  given  chiefly 
to  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the  Presbytery.     The  evening  of 

58 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

the  first  day;  morning,  afternoon  and  evening  of  the  second  day  were 
given  over  entirely  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel.  As  a  rule  eight 
sermons  would  be  delivered  on  these  occasions;  two  sermons  in  each 
service.  The  public  looked  forward  with  great  eagerness  to  these 
meetings. 

The  Presbytery  and  its  churches  showed  a  splendid  missionary 
spirit  from  the  very  start,  although  itself,  for  several  years  dependent 
to  some  extent  for  financial  support  from  the  Mother  Church  in  Wales, 
as  the  following  record  on  the  minutes  of  the  Synod  held  in  Remsen, 
July  1-2,  1847  shows: 

"Resolved,  That  we  as  a  Synod  desire  to  continue  our  union  with 
the  Foreign  Mission  Society,  and  that  we  desire  to  present  to  the 
Board  of  this  Society  in  Liverpool  our  own  great  need  of  laborers  on 
the  field  and  financial  aid  to  support  them." 

During  this  period  of  the  forties,  we  note  the  spirit  of  enterprise 
and  organization. 

A  Church  Erection  Committee  was  organized  by  the  Presbytery 
in  order  to  extend  financial  aid  to  erect  church  buildings.  For  in- 
stance, at  the  meeting  of  Presbytery  held  at  Bryn  Mawr  Church,  Deer- 
field,  on  July  17-18,  1848,  a  request  was  presented  to  the  Presbytery 
from  the  church  at  Marcy  for  permission  to  erect  a  church  building. 
Their  request  was  granted,  with  a  grant  of  $100,  on  condition  that  the 
building  costs  would  not  exceed  the  sum  of  $250. 

The  Presbytery  at  this  period  stressed  the  importance,  that  all 
church  deeds  be  properly  made  out,  and  placed  in  the  care  of  Elder 
James  Owen  of  Penycaerau,  in  order  to  safeguard  the  properties  for 
the  denomination. 

Also  the  churches  were  encouraged  to  make  use  of,  and  be  faithful 
with  the  new  system  of  soliciting  funds  for  church  support,  viz:  with 
cards. 

At  a  Quarterly  Meeting  held  in  Remsen,  December  7-8,  1848,  a 
Home  Mission  Board  was  formed  by  the  Presbytery  to  be  known  as 
"The  Home  Mission  Society  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  of  Oneida 
County  and  its  vicinity." 

The  Board  was  to  consist  of  a  secretary,  treasurer,  and  nine  mem- 
bers chosen  annually  by  the  Presbytery's  quarterly  meeting.     Officers 

59 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

to  meet  every  three  months.     That  an  annual  offering  be  made  in  all 
churches  of  the  Presbytery  for  missions. 

The  Presbytery,  from  its  very  beginning  to  the  time  of  its  dissolu- 
tion, stressed  the  importance  of  care  for  the  religious  training  of  the 
children  and  young  people;  its  responsibility  as  a  denomination  to 
assist  the  weak  churches,  to  see  that  the  gospel  is  preached  regularly, 
and  that  church  members  live  a  life  becoming  of  the  gospel,  so  that 
the  Word  of  God  and  His  doctrine  be  not  ridiculed. 

In  a  copy  of  "Y  Cyfaill"  (The  Friend)  for  1844,  there  is  a  report 
of  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Sunday  Schools  of  Oneida  and  Lewis 
Counties,  for  the  year  1843: 

Sunday  School  Officers      Pupils       Chapters       Verses 

Boonville 6  26  104  1,303 

Y  Dwyrain 8  24  203  2,436 

Enlli  4  36  169  2,694 

Floyd 10  40  337  4,765 

Hebron,  French  Road 14  93  884  1,858 

Holland  Patent 7  18  592  9,430 

Nant ,. 9  35  248  4,981 

Ninety-six 8  20  176  3,184 

Penycaerau    , 12  55  928  15,747 

Penygraig    10  51  633  8,991 

Remsen    11  60  1,153  15,307 

Trenton , 8  24  235  2,892 

Steuben 3  21  128  1,974 

Delta 8  35  226  219 

Newport 8  45  556 

Utica 19  130  41,106 

Lewis  County 

Y  Glyn   5  34  123  140 

Gwastadedd   Gomer  5  20  39 

Constableville    7  35  325  240 

Ty  Uchaf  y  Graig 2  17  18  381 

Lowville 5  18  84 

\]p  to  1842,  almost  all  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery  were  located 
in  Oneida  County,  from  that  time  on  the  area  of  the  Presbytery  in- 

60 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

eluded  the  counties  of  Otsego,  Herkimer,  Oneida,  Madison,  Lewis,  and 
Oswego,  and  Toronto,  Canada. 

Churches  of  the  Presbytery:  Penycaerau,  Nant,  Penygraig,  French 
Road,  New  York  City,  Moriah,  Utica;  Remsen,  Bryn  Mawr,  Webster 
Hill,  Enlli,  Floyd,  Constableville,  Western,  Holland  Patent,  Newport, 
Ninety-six,  Rome,  Marcy,  Oriskany,  Bridgewater,  Prospect,  Water- 
ville,  Plainfield  Center,  Madison,  Nelson,  Frankfort  Hill,  Quaker  Hill, 
Mullen  Hill,  Collinsville,  Little  Falls,  Cattaraugus,  Sandy  Creek,  New 
Hartford,  Ilion,  and  Toronto,  Canada. 

Laymen  played  a  very  prominent  part  in  the  history  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. From  the  start  and  throughout  its  entire  history,  it  was  richly 
blessed  with  able  and  godly  elders.  Time  and  space  will  not  allow  me 
to  name  them  here,  but  I  would  like  to  mention  the  names  of  two  whom 
I  came  to  know  and  admire  since  coming  to  the  Presbytery.  The  late 
Richard  T.  Williams,  Rome,  who  ably  and  faithfully  served  the  Pres- 
bytery as  Stated  Clerk  for  25  years,  and  Elder  William  R.  Thomas, 
Utica,  who  has  rendered  a  yeoman's  service  both  to  his  own  church, 
Moriah,  and  the  denomination,  serving  for  several  years  on  the  Council 
of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in 
America;  a  member  of  the  Council  of  the  five  Welsh  Synods  following 
the  dissolution  of  the  General  Assembly;  Chairman  of  the  Synod's 
Committee  on  Foreign  Missions,  possessing  a  great  zeal  for  missions, 
both  Home  and  Foreign. 

In  late  years  beginning  with  1930,  an  annual  pilgrimage  to  Peny- 
caerau was  arranged  by  the  Presbytery.  The  services  would  be  in 
Welsh  and  held  at  the  marker  where  the  old  church  stood,  and  close 
by  the  cemetery,  where  lie  the  remains  of  those  who  were  instrumental 
in  starting  the  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in  America.  Hundreds 
from  all  parts  of  Central  New  York  would  join  in  making  the  pil- 
grimage and  pay  tribute  to  the  founders  of  the  Church,  and  I  believe, 
renewed  their  vows  of  faithfulness  and  loyalty  to  Christ. 

In  the  evening  the  services  would  be  in  English  and  held  at  the 
Stone  Church  in  Remsen. 

The  matter  of  union  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  was  discussed 
and  acted  upon  by  Presbyteries,  Synods,  and  assemblies  both  in  Wales 
and  in  the  United  States  as  far  back  as  the  early  forties.  Being  so 
closely  related,  having  the  same  idea  and  ideals,  of  the  same  faith  and 
similar  in  form  of  government,  courting  was  carried  on  for  long  years. 

61 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

In  a  Synod  held  in  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  in  1844,  a  resolution  was  passed 
favoring  an  union  of  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  in  America  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  U.S.A.  For  some  reason  or  other  it  did  not 
materialize.  Exchange  of  fraternal  delegates  and  friendly  relationship 
through  correspondence  were  kept  up  through  the  years.  We  were, 
somehow,  too  near  to  live  apart;  until  finally  at  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  in  the  United  States,  which 
met  in  Racine,  Wis.  in  1919,  the  matter  of  union  with  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  U.S.A.,  was  adopted,  and  the  assembly  adjourned  to  meet  in 
Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1920,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  the  approval  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  on  the  Plan  of  Union,  and  for  its  dissolution. 
From  Columbus,  the  Commissioners  in  a  body,  went  to  Philadelphia 
to  be  accepted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  1920.  For  several  years 
following  this  action,  we  carried  on  as  Synods  within  Synods,  and 
Presbyteries  within  Presbyteries.  During  that  time  we  were  being 
schooled  in  the  traditions  of  our  adopted  Church.  Now  that  the  com- 
plete assimilation  of  our  Presbytery  with  your  Presbytery  is  six  years 
old,  I  trust  that  we  have  not  been  unworthy  associates. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery,  very  fittingly,  was  held 
at  Stone  Church,  Remsen,  in  the  environs  of  its  beginning,  for  Stone 
Church  was  for  several  years  the  mecca  for  chief  meetings  (Uchel 
Wyliau)  of  the  denomination  in  its  early  period  in  America.  The 
meeting  was  held  Saturday  and  Sunday,  September  12-13,  1936,  with 
the  late  Rev.  Walter  H.  Jones  as  Moderator.  Saturday  afternoon  was 
spent  chiefly  as  a  "Seiat"  (Society  Meeting)  with  Elder  William  R. 
Thomas  as  Chairman.  A  paper  was  read  by  the  late  George  W.  Jones, 
Remsen,  on  "The  History  of  the  Presbytery."  Reminiscent  remarks 
were  made  by  Elias  Elhs,  Utica;  Mary  Roberts,  Floyd,  and  Daniel  I. 
Jones,  Rome. 

Saturday  evening,  the  Moderator,  Rev.  Walter  H.  Jones,  delivered 
a  timely  message  from  I  Samuel  17:38-39.  Sunday  afternoon  the  Rev. 
Arthur  T.  Cort,  Boonville,  Moderator  of  Utica  Presbytery,  preached 
from  Jer.  5:30-31,  and  his  message  was  heard  with  keen  interest.  The 
preacher  at  the  evening  service  was  Rev.  R.  R.  Williams,  Utica. 
using  as  his  text  Luke  4:20.  His  message  was  exceptionally  timely  and 
appropriate.  This  closed  a  very  interesting  chapter  of  romance, 
heroism  and  sacrifice  in  the  history  of  the  Presbytery  and  of  the  fathers 
who  founded  the  churches,  and  led  and  shepherded  God's  flock. 

It  was  a  noble  army  of  pioneer  preachers,  who  bravely  faced  the 
big  problems  of  those  early  years.    Their  zeal  for  the  Master's  Kingdom 

62 


Oneida  Presbytery  (Welsh) 

was  as  a  consuming  fire.  Their  labors  were  strenuous,  with  no  vacation 
and  meagre  and  uncertain  salaries.  They  were  ever  ready  to  respond 
to  the  call  of  duty.  Their's  was  all  the  more  arduous  because  of  the 
difficulties  of  travel.  Roads  were  often  mere  pathways.  All  honor  to 
the  hardy  pioneer  preachers  and  laymen,  and  to  the  noble  men  and 
women  who  worshipped  in  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery,  who  through 
faith  wrought  righteousness,  out  of  weakness  were  made  strong,  and 
put  to  flight  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ. 

The  Presbytery  of  Oneida  and  its  churches  had  a  special  mission  to 
perform  in  ministering  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  Welsh  immigrants 
as  they  settled  in  a  new  and  strange  country,  and  we  are  proud  to 
believe  that  that  mission  was  zealously  and  faithfully  fulfilled.  Today, 
many  of  the  sons  and  daughters  who  received  their  first  religious  train- 
ing in  the  churches  of  Oneida  Presbytery  are  doing  splendid  work  as 
ministers  of  the  Gospel,  elders  and  Christian  workers  in  various  parts 
of  the  country. 

The  following  ministers  living  today,  entered  the  ministry  from  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida: 

Albert  Evans,  D.D.,  Associate  Pastor,  New  York  Avenue  Pres- 
byterian Church,  Washington,  D.C. 

Robert  Watkins,  St.  Petersburg,  Fla.,  retired. 

John  Williams,  Allentown,  Pa.,  retired. 

R.  J.  Williams,  Ebenezer  Church,  Scranton,  Pa. 

Gwilym  E.  Jones,  Nappanee,  Ind. 

George  E.  Davies,  Calvary  Church,  Auburn,  N.  Y. 

David  C.  Davies,  Westernville,  N.  Y. 


63 


THE  UTICA  PRESBYTERIAL  SOCIETY  OF 

MISSIONS 

By  Anna  M.  Newcomer 

"At  the  Woman's  Missionary  Meeting  in  Saratoga  during  the 
sitting  of  the  General  Assembly  last  May,  delegates  were  present  not 
only  from  churches  in  New  York  and  states  adjoining,  but  from  the  far 
west,  even  from  Colorado,  while  from  the  Synod  of  Central  New  York, 
so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  ascertain,  there  were  but  two  churches 
represented,  from  the  church  in  Clinton,  one,  and  from  Bethany 
Church,  Utica,  two  delegates." — A  quotation  from  the  minutes  of  the 
first  General  Meeting  held  November  21,  1879. 

At  this  meeting  two  addresses,  one  by  Miss  Ellen  Jackson,  Beirut, 
Syria,  the  other  by  Miss  Smith,  Saparo,  Japan,  made  an  indelible 
impression  on  the  three  women  from  this  Presbytery,  and  they  returned 
home  resolved  to  organize  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery  to  do  com- 
bined systematic  work  for  missions.  There  had  been  missionary  so- 
cieties in  some  of  the  churches  for  many  years,  but  there  had  been  no 
combined  systematic  missionary  effort.  Some  were  sending  contribu- 
tions to  the  New  York  Board  and  some  to  the  Philadelphia  Board,  as 
well  as  taking  care  of  work  at  home.  This  effort  for  organization  "met 
with  opposition  from  the  reverend  brethren  of  the  Presbytery,  who 
evidently  thought  that  it  was  not  women's  work,  or  that  the  funds 
might  be  diverted." 

However,  with  indomitable  courage  and  much  faith,  an  informal 
meeting  was  held  on  Friday  afternoon,  September  19,  1879,  at  the 
home  of  Mrs.  E.  M.  Gilbert,  Utica,  to  discuss  measures  to  awaken  new 
interest  in  the  cause  of  missions  in  the  churches  of  the  Presbytery. 

The  following  women  were  present:  Mrs.  A.  D.  Gridley,  Mrs.  J.  C. 
Gallup,  Mrs.  T.  B.  Hudson,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Southworth,  Clinton;  Mrs.  H. 
M.  Ethridge  and  Mrs.  F.  M.  Orton,  Rome;  Mrs.  E.  M.  Gilbert,  Miss 
Sarah  E.  Gilbert,  Mrs.  T.  J.  Brown,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Sprucher,  Mrs.  D.  W. 
Bigelow,  Mrs.  M.  W.  Bussey,  Mrs.  G.  L.  Curran,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Shaver, 
Mrs.  F.  W.  Sheffield,  Mrs.  H.  Simmons,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Head,  Mrs.  D. 
Waterman,  Utica. 

Miss  Sarah  E.  Gilbert  presided.  After  the  object  of  the  meeting 
was  presented  and  discussed,  it  was  decided  to  form  a  society  which 

64 


STONE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  CLINTON 

Erected   1878 


FIRST   PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH.   UTICA 
Erected  1924 


Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions 

should  be  called  the  Utica  Branch  of  the  Ladies  Board  of  Missions  of 
New  York. 

The  following  officers  were  elected:  President,  Miss  Sarah  E.  Gil- 
bert, Utica;  vice  presidents,  Mrs.  A.  D.  Gridley,  Clinton,  Mrs.  H.  M. 
Ethridge,  Rome,  Mrs.  Samuel  Jessup,  Oneida;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, Mrs.  F.  W.  Sheffield,  Utica;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  D.  Water- 
man, Utica;  treasurer.  Miss  Anna  Goodrich,  Utica;  advisory  com- 
mittee, Mrs.  J.  C.  Gallup,  Clinton,  Mrs.  J.  McK.  Brayton,  Holland 
Patent,  Mrs.  M.  W.  Bussey,  Utica. 

It  was  decided  to  hold  a  meeting  of  the  officers  on  Friday,  Septem- 
ber 26th,  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  E.  M.  Gilbert,  at  which  meeting  a  letter 
from  Mrs.  Brayton  was  presented  stating  her  inability  to  act  on  the 
advisory  committee;  also  a  letter  from  Miss  Goodrich  declining  the 
office  of  treasurer.  Miss  R.  E.  Cleveland  of  Holland  Patent  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  advisory  committee,  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Curran  of  Utica 
as  treasurer.  l 

The  society  asked  to  become  a  branch  of  the  New  York  Women's 
Board  and  was  accepted. 

Clinton,  Rome,  Vernon,  Verona,  with  three  Utica  churches, 
Bethany,  First  and  West  Utica,  were  the  seven  charter  societies. 
Augusta,  Boonville,  Holland  Patent  and  Westminster  joined  within  a 
year. 

The  first  foreign  mission  work  was  the  support  of  a  school  in  Tokyo, 
Japan,  under  the  charge  of  Miss  Youngman;  that  for  home  missions 
was  centered  in  Sitka,  Alaska. 

In  the  Annual  Report  of  1883  in  outlining  the  work  in  Japan  is  the 
following:  "The  recent  great  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  this  land 
has  led  one  missionary  to  predict  the  evangelization  of  Japan  within 
ten  years." 

In  1883  there  were  19  churches  represented  in  the  Branch  and  each 
society  contributed  to  both  home  and  foreign  work.  In  1884  there 
were  39  societies  representing  26  churches. 

The  work  had  grown  to  proportions  so  large  by  the  eleventh  year 
that  the  Conmiittee  thought  more  thorough  work  could  be  done  and 
greater  results  achieved  if  more  women  were  enlisted  and  actively 
engaged  in  the  work. 

65 


Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions 

On  May  12,  1890,  a  separate  Advisory  Committee  was  formed  to 
take  charge  of  the  Home  work,  with  Mrs.  J.  B.  Morse  of  Utica  as 
president. 

The  work  prospered  under  the  two  Advisory  Committees,  but  by 
1924  many  of  the  members  thought  that  still  greater  work  could  be 
done  if  the  Committees  merged  and  gave  the  auxiliary  societies  larger 
representation  on  the  Committee. 

After  careful  consideration  and  preparation  the  two  Advisory  Com- 
mittees merged  in  April  1925,  and  became  "The  Utica  Presbyterial 
Society  of  Missions,"  with  Mrs.  A.  I.  Keener  of  Clinton  as  president. 

The  Constitution  of  this  organization  provides  for  an  Advisory 
Board  which  consists  of  representatives  from  the  auxiliary  organiza- 
tions as  follows: 

1.  Members  elected  by  the  Executive  Committee.  The  officers 
with  past  presidents  and  chairmen  of  standing  committees  con- 
stitute the  executive  committee. 

2.  The  Presidents  and  Treasurers  of  all  Women's  Missionary 
Societies. 

3.  A  Young  People's  Counselor  from  each  church. 

4.  Corresponding  Members  in  societies  too  far  from  Utica  to  send 
representatives  to  the  monthly  meetings. 

This  representation  on  the  Advisory  Board  gives  each  Missionary 
Society  not  only  the  opportunity  for  more  active  participation  in  the 
Presbyterial  work,  but  the  opportunity  of  keeping  in  closer  touch  with 
mission  work  in  general. 

In  the  year  1941-1942  the  Presbyterial  Society's  contribution  to 
Foreign  work  was  $6,597,  and  to  National  work,  $6,163. 

From  a  beginning  of  contributing  to  the  support  of  two  schools, 
we  have  grown  to  the  support  of  eleven  missionaries  in  whole  or  in  part, 
besides  contributing  to  scholarships,  hospitals,  station  work  and  other 
necessary  expenses  in  the  mission  work. 

During  the  years  since  the  organization  in  1879,  the  Presbyterial 
Society  has  supported  in  whole  or  in  part  missionaries  in  Africa,  Brazil, 
China,  Chosen  (Korea),  India,  Iran  (Persia),  Thailand  (Siam),  the 
Philippines,  and  Puerto  Rico,  and  has  contributed  to  salaries  or  to 

66 


Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions 

maintenance  of  mission  schools  in  Alaska,  Arizona,  Virginia,  New 
Mexico,  North  Carolina,  South  Carolina  and  Tennessee.  The  Society 
has  provided  scholarships  in  several  of  the  mission  schools,  and  has 
made  contributions  of  supplies  and  equipment  to  hospitals  at  home 
and  abroad. 

List  of  Presidents 

Utica  Branch  of  the  Ladies  Board  of  Missions  of  New  York  changed 
to  Utica  Branch  of  the  Woman's  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Miss  Sarah  E.  Gilbert,  1879-1913.    Honorary  president,  1913-1916. 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Glass,  1913-1917. 
Mrs.  Ada  Robinson,  1917-1920. 
Miss  Mary  Merwin,  1920-1923. 
Mrs.  E.  I.  Campbell,  1923-1925. 

The  Woman's  Presbyterial  Society  of  Home  Missions  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church: 

Mrs.  J.  B.  Morse,  1890-1891. 
Miss  Helen  E.  Wells,  1891-1893. 
Mrs.  J.  W.  Townsend,  1893-1895. 
Mrs.  C.  W.  Hawley,  1895-1901. 
Mrs.  Adelaide  E.  Sherrill,  1901-1904. 
Miss  Harriet  Curtiss,  1904-1912. 
Mrs.  J.  G.  Kilbourn,  1912-1914. 
Mrs.  Arthur  J.  Dean,  1914-1921. 
Mrs.  J.  S.  Pickell,  1921-1922. 
Mrs.  A.  I.  Keener,  1922-1925. 

The  Utica  Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions: 

Mrs.  A.  I.  Keener,  1925-1926. 

Mrs.  Harlan  G.  Newcomer,  1926-1930. 

Mrs.  Henry  Huntington,  1930-1934. 

Mrs.  William  M.  Kittredge,  1934-1937. 

Mrs.  Harold  C.  Ford,  1937-1941. 

Mrs.  W.  D.  Stone,  March  1941  -October  1941. 

Mrs.  Milton  Cruikshank,  October  1941— 

67 


Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions 

Date  of  Organization  of  the  Missionary  Societies 

Augusta — 1880 

Boonville — 1 880 

Clinton — In  1800  The  Sewing  Society  was  organized  to  raise  money 
for  missionary  giving.  It  has  been  working  all  through  the  years 
and  still  functions.  The  Ladies  Home  Missionary  Society  was  or- 
ganized in  1857,  the  Ladies  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  1873, 
these  two  societies  united  in  1881  to  form  the  Woman's  Missionary 
Society 

Holland  Patent — 1881 

Ilion — Gleaners — 1912 

Ilion — Woman's  Missionary  Society — 1886 

KiRKLAND — 1 896 

Little  Falls — 1871 — The  Ladies  Society  formed,  which  became  the 
Woman's  Missionary  Society  in  1879 

LowviLLE — 1 833 

Lyons  Falls — 1890 

New  Hartford — The  New  Hartford  Female  Benevolent  Society  or- 
ganized in  December  1845,  united  with  the  Woman's  Foreign  and 
Domestic  Mission  Society,  which  was  organized  in  April  1873.  This 
Society  merged  with  the  Church  Workers  and  became  the  Church 
Workers  and  Missionary  Society  in  1886.  In  April  1898  the  name 
was  changed  to  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society 

New  York  Mills — 1881 

NoRvncH  Corners — 1915 

Oneida — A  Missionary  Society  was  organized  from  the  Sunday  School 
in  1851;  continued  for  several  years  and  was  reorganized  in  1873 
and  again  in  1882 

Oneida — Young  Woman's  Missionary  Society — 1929 

Oneida  Castle — Westminster  Club — 1926 

Oneida  Castle — ^Woman's  Missionary  Society — 1888 

Rome— 1879 

68 


Presbyterial  Society  of  Missions 

Sauquoit — 1877;  reorganized  in  1884;  became  a  part  of  the  Benevo- 
lent Society  in  1939 

South  Trenton — Before  1884.    Present  Society  organized  in  1892 

Turin— 1879 

Utica  (Bethany)— 1869 

Utica  (First) — 1843  the  Dorcas  Society  was  organized  for  Home 
missionary  work.  In  1877  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  was 
organized.  The  Dorcas  Society  continued  in  service  as  the  Home 
Missionary  Society  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  until  1936, 
when  it  merged  with  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society 

Utica  (First)— Brokaw— 1881 

Utica  (Moriah)— 1918. 

Utica  (Olivet) — 1887  and  reorganized  in  1903 

Utica  (Sayre) — Woman's  Missionary  Society — 1879 

Utica  (Westminster) — Fisher  Society — 1869 

Utica  (Westminster) — Woman's  Missionary  Society — 1881 

Vernon — 1880 

Verona— 1880 

Waterville — 182  5 

Westdale — 1894 

Westernville — Before  1883 

Whitesboro — 1 890 

yorkville — 1925. 


69 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

AUGUSTA  CHURCH 

Founded  Sept.  7,  1797 

On  the  date  above  a  Congregational  Church  was  formed  with  nine 
members.  Services  were  first  held  in  private  homes  and  in  the  Town 
Hall  until  1816,  when  a  church  building,  of  frame  structure,  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  The  church  united  with  the  Oneida  Pres- 
bytery in  1828,  having  a  membership  at  this  time  of  400  persons.  It 
withdrew  from  the  Presbytery  in  1839  and  remained  independent  for 
twenty-seven  years,  whereupon  it  reunited  with  Utica  Presbytery,  and 
was  received  October  10th,  1866.  Extensive  repairs  were  made  in  1872 
at  a  cost  of  $9,000.  During  the  first  100  years  of  its  life  1,210  persons 
were  received  into  membership,  and  the  expenditures  were  $100,000. 

During  the  last  half  century,  the  interior  of  the  church  has  been 
changed  around  and  developed  considerably.  Also  a  basement  has 
been  added  for  Sunday  school  and  social  purposes.  In  the  eighties,  a 
church  bell  weighing  1,075  pounds  was  purchased,  and  is  still  used. 

The  church  has  been  served  by  innumerable  stated  supplies  and  14 
regularly  installed  pastors.  The  longest  pastorate  was  that  of  Rev. 
Henry  M.  Dodd,  lasting  13  years  (1883-1896). 

During  the  146  years  of  its  life,  this  church  has  been  and  still  is, 
the  center  of  community  life.  Although  small  numerically,  the  church 
carries  on  nobly  raising  its  current  annual  budget,  and  in  addition,  for 
the  current  year  1942,  has  purchased  ten  Victory  Bonds.  Its  present 
pastor,  Rev.  J.  M.  MacQuarrie,  was  installed  July  1936. 


THE   BOONVILLE   CHURCH 

Founded  1805 

The  church  was  organized  in  the  summer  of  1805  by  David  Smith, 
a  missionary  of  the  Massachusetts  Missionary  Society. 

The  original  society  consisted  of  eight  persons,  as  follows:  Elisha 
Grant,  who  was  chosen  deacon;  Mrs.  Elisha  Grant,  Levi  Hillman,  Dr. 
Samuel  Snow,  Louis  Kingsbury,  Sally  Kingsbury,  Hannah  Sippell,  and 
Mrs.  Dean. 

The  records  of  the  church  up  to  1821  were  lost;  and  those  since 

70 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

that  date  do  not  furnish  material  for  a  full  sketch  of  its  history,  nor  a 
reliable  list  of  all  who  have  been  members  of  it. 

In  the  early  days  of  1800,  the  necessities  of  Christian  endeavor  de- 
manded united  efforts  from  Presbyterians  and  Congregationalists,  and 
as  early  as  1801,  a  plan  of  union  was  adopted  by  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  former  and  the  General  Association  of  the  latter  by  which  rep- 
resentation in  the  Presbytery  was  admitted  to  Congregational  churches 
while  at  the  same  time  they  retained  undisturbed  their  constitutional 
prerogative  of  self-government. 

The  records  of  this  church  still  extant,  show  that  while  delegates 
to  the  Presbytery  were  chosen  as  early  as  1821  and  with  more  or  less 
regularity  thereafter,  the  form  of  church  government  did  not  become 
fully  Presbyterian  until  November  30,  1853,  by  a  unanimous  vote  of 
the  church. 

At  that  time  was  instituted  a  rotary  eldership.  The  church  sus- 
tained stated  public  worship  from  its  organization.  For  four  years  it 
enjoyed  occasional  preaching  by  missionaries  from  Massachusetts, 
Connecticut,  and  New  Hampshire. 

The  first  revival  occurred  in  1809  at  which  time  Rev.  Mr.  Ingalls 
and  Rev.  Seth  Burt,  missionaries,  labored  here.  Rev.  James  Murdock 
of  Turin  preached  here  occasionally,  and  Rev.  Ruel  Kimball  of  Leyden 
for  a  time,  statedly,  previous  to  1821. 

Since  1821  the  various  ministers  have  preached  to  this  people  for 
a  longer  or  shorter  time,  among  them  Rev.  W.  H.  McGiffert,  who 
was  later  installed  as  pastor. 

It  is  difficult  to  trace  the  meeting  places  of  the  founders  of  the 
church,  but  a  Union  church  was  built  here  in  the  year  1827  and  was 
located  almost  opposite  the  Erwin  Library  Building  on  the  east  side  of 
Post  Street.  This  Union  Church  edifice  was  used  by  Presbyterians, 
Methodists  and  Universalists,  but  the  Presbyterians  acquired  the  in- 
terests of  the  other  societies  in  the  year  1836  or  a  little  later. 

The  church  building  where  worship  is  now  carried  on  was  erected 
in  1855-56  and  dedicated  April  14,  1856.  In  the  summer  of  the  year 
1885,  the  church  was  closed  for  alterations  and  improvements.  The 
changes  made  included  a  ceiling  of  solid  oak  with  cherry  trimmings,  a 
beautiful  new  carpet  in  the  auditorium  and  the  installation  of  two 
Bailey  reflector  chandeliers  (Pittsburgh)  of  14  lights  each,  each  adorned 
with  240  glass  prisms. 

71 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

At  the  opening  service  after  the  alterations  were  completed,  the 
pastor,  Rev.  Frederick  Campbell,  preached  on  the  text,  "The  glory 
of  the  latter  house  shall  be  greater  than  the  former,  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts."  Among  the  many  interesting  items  taken  from  the  old  records 
we  find  these: 

At  a  special  meeting  held  in  the  session  room  of  the  church,  imme- 
diately after  the  regular  prayer  meeting  held  Jan.  12,  1881,  motion  was 
made  by  J.  R.  Tharratt,  Esq.,  seconded  by  A.  Bamber,  Esq.,  "That 
the  Presbyterian  Society  of  Boonville  do  present  their  old  organ  to  the 
Presbyterian  Society  of  Forestport,  N.  Y."    Carried  unanimously. 

Chairman,  Elder  C.  D.  Stimson, 
Secretary,  Charles  S.  Beals. 

In  the  year  1923,  a  new  organ  of  fine  quality  was  installed  and  is 
still  giving  excellent  service.  Parts  of  the  old  organ  were  used  in 
making  the  new  one.  This  project  was  sponsored  by  the  Painters 
Society,  formed  in  the  year  1897-98,  whose  first  president  was  Mrs. 
John  Owen.  The  name  of  the  society  was  suggested  by  the  work  they 
did  in  raising  funds  to  pay  for  the  painting  of  the  exterior  of  the  church. 
The  president  of  the  society  at  the  time  the  new  organ  was  installed 
was  Mrs.  Henry  Belknap. 

Other  improvements  have  been  made  from  time  to  time,  and  made 
by  the  Painters  Auxiliary,  which  is  still  active  and  doing  excellent  work. 

Over  a  period  of  137  years,  the  church  has  been  served  by  21 
ministers.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Cort,  has  served  since 
1927. 


THE  CAMDEN  CHURCH 

Founded  1867 

On  July  25,  1867,  thirty-two  members  of  the  Union  Congrega- 
tional Church,  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica,  asked  and 
received  certificates  of  dismission  with  a  view  to  forming,  with  others, 
a  Presbyterian  Church  in  Camden.  Worship  started  in  Curtiss  Hall, 
and  Rev.  Selden  Haines  of  Rome  was  invited  to  preach.  On 
September  17,  1867,  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Camden  was 
organized.  On  October  9th,  it  was  received  under  the  care  of  the 
Presbytery. 

72 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

On  February  2,  1868,  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  church.  Work  was 
begun  May  25th;  the  cornerstone  laid  June  30th;  the  first  service  was 
held  in  the  lecture  room  January  3,  1869,  and  March  30th,  the  new 
church  completed  and  furnished,  and  free  from  indebtedness,  was 
dedicated.  It  was  a  handsome  brick  building  with  a  tall  graceful  spire, 
and  containing  a  good  pipe  organ.  Later  a  fine  toned  bell,  cast  at  the 
historic  Meneely  Foundry  at  Watervliet,  was  given  by  Dr.  S.  F.  M. 
Sanford  of  Ravenwood,  N.  J. 

Rev.  E.  N.  Manley  was  called  as  pastor,  commencing  his  labors 
January  1,  1868,  and  continuing  in  the  service  of  the  church  twenty- two 
years. 

The  growth  of  the  church  was  gradual.  At  the  end  of  fifteen  years 
the  membership  numbered  236.  At  the  close  of  Mr.  Manley's  pas- 
torate, a  parsonage  was  bought  and  thereafter  the  church  provided  its 
pastor  with  a  home.  The  society  continued  to  prosper  until  on  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1916,  when  it  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  its  church  by  fire. 
At  that  time,  Rev.  Louis  G.  Colson,  whose  ideal  of  church  service 
was  ministering  to  the  youth  of  the  community,  was  the  pastor. 

The  Camden  Advance- Journal  of  that  time  wrote  as  follows:  "Mr. 
Colson  and  other  Presbyterians  did  not  want  to  build  a  new  church. 
They  planned  to  go  in  with  some  other  church  in  Camden  and  spend 
their  insurance  money  and  other  funds  to  erect  a  community  building 
to  care  for  the  social  needs  of  the  community.  This  plan  did  not  meet 
with  the  cooperation  expected ;  so  the  congregation  built  an  institutional 
church,  which  gave  social  as  well  as  religious  service  to  the  people  of 
Camden." 

The  cornerstone  of  the  new  building  was  laid  September  10,  1916, 
and  the  dedication  was  held  May  27,  1917.  The  church  was  built  of 
tapestry  brick  and  contained,  besides  the  auditorium,  ample  Sunday 
school  rooms,  a  well-equipped  gymnasium,  suitable  to  use  for  suppers 
and  banquets,  connected  with  a  fully  furnished  and  convenient  kitchen, 
shower  baths  and  rest  rooms.  A  fine-toned  pipe  organ  was  given  by 
Mr.  Alfred  Costello  of  New  York.  For  a  time  the  institutional  part 
of  this  church  fulfilled  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  built,  but  after  the 
school  was  furnished  with  a  fine  gymnasium,  it  was  no  longer  essential 
for  the  social  or  physical  development  of  the  young  of  the  community. 

Throughout  its  lifetime,  the  church  has  been  served  by  twelve 
ministers. 

73 


Chukches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

When  Rev.  F.  E.  Miller's  ministry  closed  in  1930,  the  trustees  of 
the  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  churches  began  to  realize  that 
changing  conditions  and  the  loss  of  many  staunch  members  made  co- 
operation expedient.  So  the  two  churches  formed  what  is  known  as  the 
United  Church  of  Camden,  using  each  church  six  months  of  the  year. 
This  organization  in  1931  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  B.  A.  Walton  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Pulaski,  N.  Y.,  to  become  its  pastor.  He 
assumed  his  duties  September  1,  1931,  and  is  still  serving  the  United 
Church  of  Camden. 


THE  STONE  CHURCH— CLINTON 

Founded  1791 

The  Stone  Presbyterian  Church  of  Clinton  was  organized  as  a 
Congregational  Society  on  Monday,  August  29th,  1791,  with  thirty 
charter  members.  It  was  the  church  of  the  original  band  of  settlers  in 
the  community,  growing  out  of  a  regular  series  of  public  services  that 
had  begun  in  early  April  1787. 

The  first  minister,  Asahel  S.  Norton,  began  work  here  in  October 
1792,  and  was  formally  installed  the  following  September,  his  service 
continuing  through  a  notable  ministry  of  forty  years.  From  the  time 
of  Mr.  Norton's  arrival  in  the  settlement,  to  the  present  date,  services 
have  continued  almost  without  interruption,  and  the  church  has  enjoyed 
a  vigorous  life.    The  Sunday  school  was  begun  in  1818. 

For  two  generations,  from  about  the  year  1830,  the  presence  of  the 
college  and  of  many  secondary  schools  in  Clinton,  which  drew  hundreds 
of  students  from  elsewhere,  and  whose  staffs  were  largely  in  this  church, 
made  it  one  of  the  most  active  and  strongest  village  congregations  in 
the  state.  Always  as  a  strong  missionary  church,  there  was  a  period 
in  the  late  1830's  and  early  1840's  when  the  offerings  to  foreign  mis- 
sions alone  amounted  to  more  than  one  dollar  per  member  annually, 
and  for  four  years  they  were  more  than  two  dollars  per  member.  For 
some  years  an  annual  every  member  canvass  for  this  cause  was  held 
and  two  pioneer  missionaries  went  out  from  the  congregation:  Amelia 
Royce  Bradley  to  Siam  in  1834,  and  Martha  Smith  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands  in  1836.  The  church  took  an  active  and  continuous  interest  in 
temperance  reform,  and  in  the  effort  to  end  slavery. 

74 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

In  the  year  1864,  after  long  consideration,  the  church  severed  its 
connection  with  the  Oneida  Association  of  Congregational  Churches, 
and  was  received  as  a  constituent  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

The  congregation  has  had  four  different  buildings.  A  simple  log 
house  in  the  center  of  the  village  green  was  used  from  1792  to  1796. 
In  that  year  a  much  larger  and  better  building  was  begun  and  enclosed, 
being  completed  in  1801.  Sheathed  with  clapboards  painted  white, 
it  came  to  be  called  the  "Old  White  Meeting  House."  Its  seating 
capacity  was  five  hundred,  and  it  too  stood  in  the  center  of  the  village 
green,  facing  south.  In  the  year  1835,  a  third  building  was  finished 
and  occupied,  a  "Stone  Church"  in  a  beautiful  and  dignified  colonial 
design,  standing  on  the  site  of  the  present  building.  There  were  two 
floors,  the  lower  being  the  Sunday  school  room  and  a  chapel  was  added 
in  1869,  fronting  on  William  Street.  This  building  was  completely 
destroyed  by  fire  on  July  10th,  1876.  The  present  commodious  and 
beautiful  structure  was  dedicated  free  of  debt  on  February  14th,  1878. 
Ten  years  later,  the  lower  floor  was  added  under  the  chapel.  The 
bowling  alleys  were  installed  under  the  auditorium  in  1921-22.  The 
slender  163-foot  spire  that  was  an  important  feature  of  the  building 
for  forty-six  years  had  to  be  taken  down  in  1924.  And  the  organ 
console  was  moved  from  the  rear  gallery  to  an  enlarged  chancel  in  1940. 

The  church  has  been  served  by  thirteen  different  ministers,  over 
151  years  of  history.  The  first  pastor,  Asahel  S.  Norton,  served  for 
forty  years  and  was  the  longest  pastorate  in  the  history  of  the  church. 
The  seventh  pastor,  Thomas  B.  Hudson,  served  21  years  (1870-91). 

Rev.  Harold  W\  Wylie,  the  present  pastor,  was  installed  January 
24,  1929,  and  this  is  the  third  longest  pastorate  in  the  entire  history 
of  the  church. 


THE  DOLGEVILLE  CHURCH 

Founded  1893 

This  church  was  first  organized  as  a  mission  on  July  13th,  1893, 
after  first  seeking  the  advice  of  Rev.  C.  S.  Richardson  of  Little 
Falls,  then  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  that  city.  Rev. 
Dwight  L.  Parsons,  a  missionary  to  Bogota,  Colombia,  who  was  then 
on  furlough,  preached  here  and  was  engaged  to  serve  as  supply  during 
the  time  of  his  furlough.    At  that  time  the  church  was  considered  simply 

75 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

as  a  mission,  but  Rev.  Mr.  Parsons  and  Mr.  W.  S.  Armstrong  at- 
tended a  meeting  of  the  Utica  Presbytery  and  urged  the  establishment 
of  a  permanent  church.  This  was  brought  about  in  October  1893, 
when  William  S.  Armstrong,  David  B.  King  and  John  F.  Jones  were 
elected  as  elders. 

At  first,  services  were  held  in  the  then  Royal  Arcanum  Hall,  in  the 
Faville  Block  on  North  Main  Street.  This  building  met  all  require- 
ments until  1925,  when  on  June  14th  of  this  year,  services  for  the 
laying  of  a  cornerstone  of  a  new  edifice  were  held,  presided  over  by 
Rev.  Charles  M.  Dodge  of  Utica.  This  new  edifice  was  very  appro- 
priately dedicated  on  June  6th,  1926,  with  the  dedicatory  address 
being  delivered  by  Rev.  James  F.  Riggs,  pastor  at  that  time  of  the 
Little  Falls  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  church  property  comprises,  first,  the  church  edifice,  with 
facilities  for  carrying  on  all  branches  of  church  service;  manse  and  its 
splendid  grounds.  The  manse  was  an  unconditional  and  outright  gift 
to  the  church  by  one  of  its  elders,  the  late  Henry  I.  Patrie,  who  pur- 
chased the  property  from  Mrs.  Putnam.  Adjoining  the  church  is  a 
dwelling  house  used  as  a  home  for  the  janitor.  This  house  was  bought 
at  the  time  the  church  expansion  was  decided  on. 

During  its  history  this  church  has  been  served  by  eight  ministers. 
Rev.  Samuel  J.  Wylie,  the  pastor,  was  granted  a  leave  of  absence  to 
serve  as  Army  Chaplain  for  the  duration.  Rev.  Walter  B.  Brock. 
is  at  present  acting  as  stated  supply  for  this  congregation. 


THE  GAMRODEN   (FLOYD)    CHURCH 

Founded  1839 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  Floyd  Township,  Welsh  people  came 
and  settled  in  great  numbers  on  the  hill  known  as  Camroden,  the  original 
form  of  the  name  meaning  "Cambrian  Hill"  or  "Welsh  Hill," 

In  the  early  days  of  the  settlement,  there  was  felt  a  deep  need  of  a 
church  and  a  Sunday  school.  The  church  was  organized  in  1839,  and 
imtil  the  edifice  was  built,  services  were  held  at  the  homes.  Following 
the  time  of  tilling  the  ground,  in  more  than  one  sense,  a  plot  of  land 
was  purchased  at  the  four  corners,  known  as  Camroden,  and  a  church 
was  built,  the  measurements  of  which  were  23  x  25  feet.  In  a  very  few 
years  this  building  was  far  too  small  for  the  congregation.    In  1850  the 

76 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

Welsh  Synod  meeting  was  to  have  been  held  in  Camroden  Church,  but 
due  to  lack  of  room,  the  meeting  was  held  in  the  open  field  nearby,  on 
a  beautiful  summer  day.  In  1863-64  a  larger  edifice  was  erected, 
opened  and  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God  in  the  fall  of  that  year. 

History  tells  us  that  Camroden  and  Bethel  Church,  Rome  (Welsh) 
were  together  as  a  charge  at  first,  about  1856  to  1867.  From  that  time 
on  until  1904,  Camroden  and  the  Calvinistic  Church  of  Oriskany 
(Welsh)  were  together  as  an  itinerary  charge.  For  forty-seven  years 
ministers  preached  at  Oriskany  in  the  morning  and  in  Camroden  in 
the  afternoon  and  evening.  The  number  of  ministers  preaching  on  the 
itinerary  plan  in  those  days  was  very  large,  far  too  numerous  to  be 
named  here. 

However,  from  1877  to  1883  Rev.  D.  M.  Jones  was  the  installed 
pastor  of  Camroden.  Then  for  six  years  this  church  was  under  the  care 
of  Rev.  J.  Rhiwen  Williams,  pastor  of  Bethel,  Rome.  Following  this 
period,  during  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  E.  L.  Hughes,  Bethel,  Rome, 
Oriskany  Church  (Welsh)  was  joined  with  Bethel,  and  Camroden 
was  left  to  depend  on  pulpit  supplies  from  the  Presbytery  at  large. 
Early  in  1913,  Rev.  R.  T.  Roberts,  D.D.,  became  pastor  of  Bethel, 
Rome;  preached  occasionally  at  Camroden  and  gave  valuable  service 
from  time  to  time.  From  June  1922,  to  September  1923,  Jay  G.  Wil- 
liams, student  at  Hamilton  College,  commenced  to  preach  in  English 
and  labored  with  good  results. 

Rev.  W.  A.  Griffith  was  called  to  the  Westernville  Church,  and 
shortly  afterwards  became  stated  supply  of  Camroden  Church  until 
his  resignation  in  July  1941. 

With  the  dissolution  of  Oneida  Welsh  Presbytery,  Camroden 
Church  became  associated  with  Utica  Presbytery.  The  present  pastor, 
Rev.  David  C.  Davies,  was  installed  April  26,  1942. 


THE  FORESTPORT   CHURCH 

Founded  1839 

Forestport  Presbyterian  Church  was  originally  formed  at  Alder 
Creek  at  a  meeting  held  "at  early  candle  light"  on  May  9th,  1839,  when 
a  Union  Church  was  organized.  Alfred  Hough,  one  of  the  earliest 
residents  of  Forestport,  was  the  first  secretary  of  the  society  and  held 

77 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

that  office  for  several  years.    Services  were  held  every  four  weeks.    The 
church  building  was  erected  in  1841  or  1842. 

In  1865  Rev.  N.  M.  Robinson  became  pastor,  and  during  that 
year  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  the  Union  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Alder  Creek  and  Forestport.  The  following  year  the  church 
united  with  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

Services  were  held  first  in  the  Methodist  Church  and  later  in  Tem- 
perance Hall. 

Rev.  William  N.  Cleveland  became  the  first  resident  pastor 
in  Forestport  in  1879.  Through  his  efforts  the  present  church  was 
built  and  was  dedicated  on  November  24th,  1879.  The  builders  were 
two  brothers  named  Kilmer. 

Services  were  first  held  at  Woodgate  at  the  school  house,  and  the 
Woodgate  church  was  also  built  while  Mr.  Cleveland  was  here. 

Mr.  Cleveland  was  a  brother  of  President  Grover  Cleveland,  who 
visited  Forestport  twice,  once  while  he  was  Governor,  and  again  while 
President.  A  public  reception  was  held  for  President  and  Mrs.  Cleve- 
land in  the  manse. 

Services  in  Alder  Creek  were  discontinued  in  1903.  The  church 
building  was  moved  twice  from  its  original  site,  and  a  few  years  ago 
was  torn  down. 

John  Timothy  Stone,  a  Sunday  school  missionary,  was  pastor  in  the 
early  nineties.  He  founded  Sunday  schools  through  this  area  and  sup- 
plied the  pulpit  here  and  at  Woodgate.  Mr.  Stone  has  since  been 
Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  was  also  President  of  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary. 

In  1893,  Fred  W.  McClusky  became  pastor  of  the  church  and 
served  for  two  years.  He  is  now  head  of  the  library  in  Chicago  Univer- 
sity. He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Charles  Campbell,  who  remained 
only  a  year.  At  present  he  is  head  of  Rollins  College  at  Winter  Park, 
Florida. 

This  church  has  been  served  during  its  103  years  of  history  by 
eighteen  ministers  and  a  number  of  supply  preachers. 

Rev.  Kenneth  L.  Huggins,  who  resigned  in  1941  to  serve  as  chaplain 
in  the  army,  is  now  stationed  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  Rev.  Frank 
Reed  has  served  the  church  since  1941. 

78 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  HOLLAND  PATENT  CHURCH 

Founded  1797 

Absolutely  accurate  evidence  as  to  the  formation  of  a  church  at 
Holland  Patent  is  not  available,  but  it  appears  that  sometime  in  1797 
a  church  society  was  formed  there,  which  later  became  known  as  The 
First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Holland  Patent,  N.  Y.  December  20th, 
1799,  articles  of  incorporation  for  the  above  society  were  approved  by 
the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Oneida  County,  and  were  filed  in  the 
office  of  the  County  Clerk.  This  society  thus  became  the  fifth  religious 
organization  to  incorporate  within  the  bounds  of  Oneida  County. 
Rev.  Peter  Fish  of  Albany  Presbytery,  was  one  of  the  first  active 
workers  in  the  Holland  Patent  church.  In  the  year  1800,  this  church 
was  received  by  the  Presbytery  of  Albany,  and  two  years  later 
was  transferred  to  the  new  Presbytery  of  Oneida.  In  1806  a  union 
with  the  Congregational  Church  of  Steuben  was  formed.  This  union 
existed  intermittently  for  a  period  of  approximately  forty-five  years 
until  1851,  when  the  union  was  dissolved  and  the  present  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Holland  Patent  came  into  existence,  and  two  years 
later  the  action  was  ratified  by  the  Presbytery. 

In  December  1820,  a  congregational  meeting  unanimously  voted 
to  build  a  house  of  public  worship.  It  is  extremely  interesting  to  note 
the  contributions.  In  only  two  instances  is  there  evidence  of  actual 
cash  contributed,  the  balance  being  labor,  materials,  tools  and  grain. 
Total  cost  of  the  house  of  worship  was  $1,600.  March  12,  1823  the 
church  was  dedicated  with  special  ceremonies  in  conjunction  with  the 
installation  of  a  Rev.  Mr.  Goodale.  On  August  1,  1843,  Rev. 
John  F.  Scoval  was  installed  as  pastor,  and  during  the  first  year  of  his 
ministry  the  present  stone  edifice  was  constructed  and  the  services  of 
dedication  were  held  February  15,  1844. 

September  14,  1853,  Rev.  Richard  F.  Cleveland  was  installed 
as  pastor.  He  preached  one  Sunday,  was  taken  seriously  ill  and  died 
seventeen  days  after  his  installation.  The  family  remained  in  Holland 
Patent  until  the  death  of  Mrs.  Cleveland,  and  after  her  death,  Miss 
Rose  Elizabeth  Cleveland  continued  her  residence  there  until  her  death 
in  Italy  about  the  close  of  World  War  I.  President  Grover  Cleveland 
lived  for  a  time  at  the  home  in  Holland  Patent,  and  during  his  term  as 
President,  returned  occasionally  to  the  village  and  the  church. 

The  first  school  in  Holland  Patent  was  fostered  by  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  sessions  were  held  in  the  church  building.     Throughout 

79 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

the  entire  history  of  its  existence  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  has 
found  among  its  membership  the  leaders  of  its  community  life,  its 
substantial  business  men  and  citizens. 

Twenty-five  ministers  have  served  the  church,  the  most  influential 
of  whom  were  Rev.  Albert  H.  Corliss,  Rev.  John  McKnight  Brayton, 
Rev.  H.  H.  Allen,  and  Rev.  L.  G.  Colson. 

The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Frank  W.  Twitchell,  has  served  since  1942. 


THE  ILION  CHURCH 

Founded  1871 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Ilion  was  incorporated  June  12, 
1871,  having  been  organized  May  28,  1871,  by  Rev.  Selden  Haines 
of  Rome,  with  thirteen  or  seventeen  charter  members.  The  first 
elders  were  Aaron  Brown  and  A.  H.  Sumner.  This  church  owes  its 
origin  to  a  suggestion  made  by  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  this  village,  Mr.  R.  R.  Bennett.  The  first  meeting  was  held 
in  December  1870,  in  pursuance  of  a  notice  given  from  the  pulpit  of 
the  M.  E.  Church.    Until  1875  meetings  were  held  in  Mechanics  Hall. 

Lot  for  the  building  was  bought  in  1874  for  $4,500,  and  on  April 
6,  1875  the  church  was  dedicated.  It  was  to  cost  $16,000,  but  instead 
cost  $35,000.  On  the  day  of  dedication  there  was  a  balance  of  $19,000, 
of  which  $14,000  was  pledged  by  subscription.  Business  reverses  came 
and  many  of  the  pledges  were  not  paid.  Rev.  D.  M.  Rankin  was 
the  first  pastor.  In  the  spring  of  1878  Rev.  Rankin  resigned.  During 
this  time  50  united  by  faith,  67  by  letter,  and  26  were  baptized.  A  debt 
of  $16,000  was  on  the  church. 

In  the  fall  of  1888,  the  debt  was  still  $8,500.  In  October  of  this 
year.  Rev.  William  C.  Taylor  became  pastor,  and  during  his  time 
the  debt  was  not  only  wiped  out  entirely,  but  $4,000  was  spent  for 
repairs,  refitting  and  furnishings. 

Up  to  the  time  of  Mr.  Taylor's  advent,  the  money  for  current  ex- 
penses had  been  derived  from  the  rental  of  pews.  The  new  pastor 
suggested  that  the  seats  be  made  free  to  all,  and  the  envelope  system 
of  weekly  offerings  be  adopted.  This  was  done  and  proved  so  satis- 
tory  in  every  way  that  it  has  been  continued. 

80 


OLIVET   PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.  UTICA 

Erected  1891 


MORIAH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  UTICA 

Erected   1883 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

During  Mr.  Taylor's  pastorate,  Mr.  Benedict  of  New  York,  a 
charter  member  of  the  church,  offered  to  give  $5,000  if  $5,000  could 
be  raised.  With  the  aid  of  Utica  Presbytery,  Little  Falls  Presbyterian 
Church  and  the  trustees  of  Presbytery,  with  the  members  of  the 
church,  the  debt  was  cancelled.    A  thanksgiving  service  was  held. 

After  Mr.  Taylor  had  completed  a  work  of  15  years,  the  church 
celebrated  the  event.  The  service  consisted  of  histories  and  addresses 
relative  to  the  work  that  had  been  done  by  the  different  organizations 
connected  with  the  church  during  the  15  years.  Mr.  N.  J.  Newth 
served  the  church  as  treasurer  in  an  able  and  acceptable  manner  during 
these  15  years. 

The  church  assumed  the  support  of  a  missionary.  Rev.  David 
Lyon,  located  at  Soo  Chow,  China,  at  a  salary  of  $600  a  year.  In  1894 
he  returned  and  for  the  same  salary  the  church  supported  Mr.  Rudolph 
Hummell,  who  was  stationed  at  Batanga,  Kameroon,  Africa. 

A  terrible  fire  occurred  on  February  11,  1912.  Church  property, 
including  site,  was  valued  at  $50,000;  insured  for  $15,000.  While  the 
church  was  being  consumed  by  the  flames,  the  trustees  met  at  the 
home  of  Dr.  R.  B.  Redway,  and  there  made  arrangements  for  the 
future.  The  first  dollar  given  toward  rebuilding  the  church  was  given 
by  Michael  Hartford,  a  Catholic.  Within  10  days  $30,000  had  been 
secured.  Entire  cost  was  $60,000.  On  November  30  to  December 
9,  1913,  the  new  church  was  dedicated. 

The  church  has  Dr.  Griswold,  a  missionary  pastor,  stationed  in 
India. 

Rev.  E.  D.  Barnes,  called  in  1918,  served  this  church  for  15  years 
in  a  conscientious  and  able  manner.  For  12  years  he  conducted  a 
school  of  weekday  religious  education. 

On  October  4,  1936,  a  Junior  Church  was  organized  with  a  charter 
membership  of  32;  now  has  a  membership  of  64. 

The  tower  chimes,  given  by  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  B.  Conterman, 
were  dedicated  in  December  1936.  Other  gifts,  such  as  a  Kardex  filing 
cabinet,  an  outside  bulletin  board,  have  been  donated  by  generous 
members  of  the  church. 

Over  a  period  of  71  years,  the  church  has  been  served  by  seven 
pastors.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Paul  Wagner,  D.D.,  has  served 
since  1934. 

81 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  INLET  CHURCH 

Founded  1900 

The  Church  of  the  Lakes  at  Inlet  was  part  of  the  Southern  Adiron- 
dack Mission,  and  was  served  by  Rev.  R.  Howard  Wallace,  who 
held  occasional  services  in  the  hotels.  A  chapel  was  built  under  the 
direction  of  the  Home  Missions  Committee  of  the  Presbytery,  and 
was  dedicated  during  the  summer  of  1901.  In  1904,  the  work  was 
aided  by  the  purchase  of  a  naphtha  launch  for  the  transportation  of 
the  missionary  from  Old  Forge.  In  1914,  the  manse  was  built  and 
Rev.  David  C.  Davies  came  as  the  first  resident  minister.  In  December 
1920,  the  congregation  at  Inlet  was  organized  as  a  church,  and  applied 
to  the  Presbytery  for  enrollment,  being  received  in  February  1921. 

Services  had  been  held  each  Sunday  during  the  summer  months  at 
Dart's  and  Big  Moose  by  the  Inlet  pastor,  but  in  the  fall  of  1926, 
Rev.  Herbert  N.  Baird,  pastor  from  1925  to  1928,  began  weekly  services 
at  Big  Moose,  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  Big  Moose 
Chapel.  Services  during  the  summer  season  were  held  in  the  various 
hotels  in  turn,  and  the  remainder  of  the  year  in  the  school  houses, 
alternating  between  Big  Moose  Station  and  Glenmore  Corners.  In 
1928,  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  chapel  at  Big  Moose,  which  due  to  a 
fire  when  it  was  ready  for  occupancy,  was  not  completed  until  1930. 
Subsequently  the  Big  Moose  Chapel  voted  to  become  an  independent 
church. 

Shortly  after  the  beginning  of  the  winter  work  at  Big  Moose, 
residents  at  Raquette  Lake  requested  services  also,  which  were  held 
during  the  balance  of  the  winter  in  the  railroad  station.  When  the 
summer  business  began,  it  was  necessary  to  transfer  the  services  to  a 
railroad  coach.  A  chapel  was  erected  in  1927  on  land  given  for  the 
purpose  by  Mr.  Henry  Huntington.  This  chapel  still  continues  its 
connection  with  the  Church  of  the  Lakes. 

It  was  decided  in  1927  to  have  a  summer  assistant  pastor.  This 
worked  successfully,  permitting  all  the  chapels  to  have  Sunday  services 
and  gave  more  time  for  pastoral  calls  on  the  summer  residents. 

When  the  Central  Adirondack  Larger  Parish  was  organized,  the 
Inlet  Church,  Raquette  Lake  Chapel,  and  Big  Moose  Chapel  all  voted 
to  become  part  of  it,  together  with  Old  Forge  and  other  unorganized 
preaching  points. 

82 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

A  daily  Bible  school  was  held  in  the  Big  Moose  Schools  for  several 
years,  and  a  similar  work  was  started  at  Raquette  Lake.  During  the 
summer  of  1930,  a  vacation  Bible  school  was  conducted  and  with  good 
success. 

This  parish  has  been  served  by  14  ministers  during  its  lifetime.  The 
last  pastor  to  serve  was  Rev.  R.  N.  Rosche,  who  resigned  to  accept 
a  call  to  The  Church  of  the  Covenant  in  New  York  City. 


THE  KIRKLAND  CHURCH 

Founded  1817 

The  Kirkland  Church  had  its  real  begirming  back  in  1817.  There 
was  a  cotton  mill  on  the  banks  of  the  Oriskany  in  the  village, 
which  was  then  called  "Manchester."  Students  from  Hamilton  College, 
learning  that  the  workers  in  this  mill  had  no  religious  privileges,  or- 
ganized a  Sunday  school  under  the  sponsorship  of  Warren  Converse 
and  Isaac  Pixley,  owners  of  the  mill. 

In  1834  Dr.  Asahel  S.  Norton  left  the  pastorate  of  the  Clinton 
Congregational  Church  and  became  the  first  pastor  of  the  Kirkland 
Church.  At  first  this  church  was  largely  Universalist  in  its  theology, 
but  soon  the  Congregationalists  gained  control.  It  was  carried  on  as  a 
church  in  which  people  of  every  Christian  faith  might  worship  in 
harmony,  a  condition  which  has  existed  most  happily  unto  this  day. 

In  the  first  49  years  the  church  had  eleven  pastors.  Two  of  these, 
Rev.  Hiram  Kellogg  and  Rev.  Isaac  Best,  lived  in  Clinton  and  con- 
ducted private  schools.  Only  one.  Rev.  Samuel  Raymond,  ever  had  his 
home  in  Kirkland. 

In  1883  Rev.  Dwight  Scovel  became  pastor,  and  he  served  the 
church  for  25  years,  and  very  shortly  after,  the  church  joined  Utica 
Presbytery.  It  was  then,  and  has  remained  ever  since  a  church  receiv- 
ing home  mission  help. 

During  Mr.  Scovel's  ministry,  the  church  installed  both  a  furnace 
and  an  organ.  In  early  days  the  people  brought  their  own  little  foot 
warmers,  and  the  music  was  led  with  the  aid  of  a  tuning  fork. 

A  Christian  Endeavor  Society  was  established  in  1887,  and  also 
a  Women's  Missionary  Society.  The  latter  has  had  an  unbroken  ex- 
istence ever  since 

83 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

After  Mr.  Scovel  resigned  in  1908,  this  church  had  two  very  stormy 
years,  when  the  Christian  and  Missionary  Alliance  got  control  of  its 
pulpit.  In  1910  Rev.  Clarence  Post  became  the  stated  supply,  and 
has  remained  to  the  present  day.  During  a  period  of  nearly  thirty-three 
years  many  substantial  improvements  have  been  made  to  the  building, 
inside  and  out,  including  a  bell,  electric  lights,  individual  communion 
set,  and  a  comfortable  social  room.  In  1938  the  interior  of  the  church 
was  redecorated  and  the  exterior  in  1939. 

Perhaps  the  most  outstanding  feature  of  this  church  which  has 
never  had  a  large  membership,  but  has  been  the  only  church  in  the 
community,  has  been  its  work  as  a  training  place  for  Hamilton  College 
students,  many  of  whom  have  gone  into  the  ministry  and  Foreign 
Mission  work.  A  number  of  notable  clergymen  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church  preached  their  first  sermon  in  the  pulpit  of  this  church.  Only 
God  knows  how  great  has  been  its  influence  on  the  lives  of  men  and 
women  in  this  community,  and  upon  the  students  who  later  have  served 
the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Fifteen  ministers  have  served  the  church  throughout  its  long  history, 
inclusive  of  Rev.  Clarence  B.  Post,  serving  since  1910. 


THE  LITCHFIELD  CHURCH 

Founded  1796 

The  Litchfield  Presbyterian  Church,  familiarly  known  as  "Jerusalem 
Hill  Church,"  was  organized  August  13,  1796  as  a  Congregational 
Church  Society  of  Litchfield.  The  records  of  the  church  from  that 
date  to  1812  are  fragmentary.  However,  an  early  subscription  list  gives 
64  names  with  contributions. 

On  April  1,  1812  the  church  met  at  the  home  of  James  Thompson 
and  voted  to  change  its  "Covenant."  It  was  decided  to  ask  the  pastor 
to  prepare  and  send  to  the  Oneida  Congregational  Association,  a  request 
for  the  church  to  be  dismissed  from  that  Association  to  the  Presbytery 
of  Oneida. 

In  September  a  meeting  was  held  and  elders  elected  to  conform 
to  the  Presbytery  form  of  goveriunent.  The  following  spring,  April 
11th,  1813,  the  elected  elders  were  ordained  and  the  church  took  the 
name  of  the  Litchfield  Presbyterian  Church.  Rev.  Samuel  Thomas 
Mills  continued  as  pastor  of  the  newly  formed  society  till  the  year 

84 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

1820.  From  that  time  till  1822,  Rev.  Goodall  acted  as  moderator. 
In  the  spring  of  1823  and  for  some  time,  Rev.  Eels  acted  as  mod- 
erator of  the  church.  In  1824  Rev.  W.  Hovey  was  moderator,  the 
church  being  supplied  by  various  ministers.  In  the  spring  of  1825, 
Rev.  Abner  Towne  was  ordained  and  installed  as  pastor  of  the  church, 
continuing  till  his  death  in  1826.  Rev.  Luther  Myrach  became 
pastor  and  remained  till  1830,  succeeded  by  Rev.  Gail  Headley. 
In  March  1839,  Rev.  Abraham  Miles  was  settled  as  pastor  till  1844. 
From  then  on  records  are  again  fragmentary.  Rev.  B.  C.  Francisco 
ministered  to  the  church;  Rev.  S.  B.  Loomis,  Mr.  Tyler,  Rev.  M.  E. 
Duncan  and  others. 

For  a  term  of  years  no  regular  services  were  held.  There  was  a 
depletion  in  the  population  and  death  removed  a  number  of  the 
members. 

Numerous  records  show  the  attempt  cf  the  officials  to  maintain  a 
high  standard  of  moral  conduct,  even  without  a  settled  leader. 

In  1876  the  Litchfield  and  Norwich  Corners  churches  jointly  called 
Rev.  John  M.  Chase  as  pastor.  Services  were  held  in  the  morning 
and  afternoon.  Regular  meetings  were  held  to  elect  delegates  to 
Presbytery  and  Synod. 

In  1890  the  church  was  repaired,  moved  across  the  road  to  its 
present  location,  and  rededicated. 

Since  1877  the  church  has  been  served  by  twenty  different  ministers. 
Rev.  James  H.  Boal  has  served  this  church  since  August  1942. 


THE  LITTLE  FALLS  CHURCH 

Founded  1793 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Little  Falls,  N.  Y.,  enjoys  the 
distinction  of  being  the  pioneer  church  of  this  city.  Its  history  goes 
back  to  the  time  when  Little  Falls  was  a  scattered  settlement  of  a  few 
rude  houses.  Here  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion  of  the  post-Revolu- 
tionary War  days  and  the  crude  life  of  the  pioneer  frontier  settlement, 
a  meeting  was  held  on  September  26,  1792,  for  the  purpose  of  raising 
money  to  build  a  church.  The  moving  spirit  in  this  worthy  enterprise 
was  John  Porteous,  a  Scotchman,  and  a  romantic  personage  in  the 
history  of  Little  Falls. 

85 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 


-,^>,  ;l\     ^-'- 


Built  1793-1796— Used  from  1796  to  1832 
THE    "OCTAGON"    CHURCH 


In  the  following  spring,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  tavern  of  John 
Morehouse  on  April  4,  1793,  a  Presbyterian  organization  was  formed, 
trustees  elected,  plans  adopted,  and  the  church  named  "Columbia 
Church."  By  1796  it  was  in  use  and  was  always  called  the  "Octagon 
Church"  because  of  its  eight-sided  construction,  standing  on  a  hill 
high  above  the  settlement,  the  river  and  the  canal.  It  was  a  conspicuous 
landmark  for  many  years. 

On  December  31,  1804  the  "Columbia  Church"  was  disbanded,  and 
a  new  organization  known  as  the  "Concord  Society"  was  incorporated. 


86 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

As  its  name  implies,  it  was  composed  of  persons  of  several  denomina- 
tions. However,  like  the  "Columbia  Church,"  the  Presbyterians  pre- 
dominated and  held  control.  Nevertheless,  the  work  was  carried  on 
along  non-denominational  lines  at  all  times. 

In  the  summer  of  1812,  the  Presbyterians  decided  it  was  time  to 
organize  a  strictly  Presbyterian  Church.  On  January  20,  1813,  Mr. 
Daniel  Talcott  was  appointed  delegate  to  Oneida  Presbytery,  and  asked 
that  the  new  church  be  admitted  to  that  Presbytery.  The  first  mention 
of  this  new  organization  appears  on  the  records  of  Oneida  Presbytery 
on  February  2,  1813,  when  Mr.  Talcott  presented  his  request  and  was 
admitted  to  a  seat  in  the  Presbytery. 

In  the  church  record  of  May  16,  1813,  the  name  of  Rev.  James 
Joyce  appears  the  first  time  as  pastor,  and  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Presbytery  on  February  2,  1813.  In  1842  the  church  was  transferred 
to  the  Presbytery  of  Albany,  and  in  1870  was  attached  to  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Utica. 

A  brick  church  was  built  on  the  corner  of  Albany  and  Ann  Streets 
in  1831,  and  most  of  its  exterior  walls  are  still  standing,  being  those  of 
the  office  building  of  Cherry-Burrell  Corporation. 

On  March  1,  1878  the  congregation  officially  approved  the  building 
of  a  new  church  on  the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Lansing  Streets.  This 
was  completed  in  October  1880,  and  was  dedicated  on  April  27,  1881, 
and  is  the  building  now  in  use. 

Among  the  speakers  at  the  100th  Anniversary  were  such  notables 
as  Dr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  President  M.  Woolsey  Stryker  of  Hamilton 
College,  and  two  former  pastors.  Dr.  F.  A.  M.  Brown  and  Dr.  Charles 
S.  Richardson. 

The  church  has  been  outstanding  in  its  support  of  missions  and 
other  benevolent  causes.  The  church  has  been  served  by  24  ministers 
in  its  life  span  of  149  years. 

The  present  membership  is  about  390  persons,  and  the  present 
pastor  is  Rev.  J.  Harold  Thomson,  installed  in  November  1929. 


87 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  LOWVILLE  CHURCH 

Founded  1803 

In  1803  sixteen  pioneers  organized  the  Congregational  Church  of 
Lowville  at  Stow's  Square,  a  mile  north  of  the  present  village,  meeting 
in  homes  and  the  school  house.  This  church  was  connected  with  the 
Black  River  Association  and  functioned  regularly.  A  church  was  built 
and  dedicated  in  1819,  and  in  the  same  year  the  relationship  with  the 
Black  River  Association  was  dissolved,  and  the  church,  assenting  to 
the  Presbyterian  form  of  faith,  united  with  the  St.  Lawrence  Presbytery 
on  February  23,  1820.  Thus  Stow's  Square  Church  became  the  First 
Presbyterian  Society  of  Lowville. 

In  the  meantime,  in  the  village  of  Lowville,  a  church  was  organized 
in  1807,  and  was  known  as  the  First  Congregational  Society  of  Low- 
ville. The  pastor  of  the  Stow's  Square  Church  also  served  this  church. 
This  condition  continued  until  July  11,  1822,  when  twelve  persons, 
members  of  either  the  Stow's  Square  Church  or  the  Congregational 
Society  of  Lowville,  constituted  themselves  into  a  branch  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  Out  of  this  organization  grew  what  is  now  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Lowville.  The  early  reports  of  the  church  were 
made  to  the  Presbytery  of  St.  Lawrence  under  the  name  of  the  Second 
Church  of  Lowville,  and  it  was  not  until  1870  that  the  church  reported 
to  Utica  Presbytery. 

The  clerk  of  the  Stow's  Square  Church  recorded  in  1850  that  there 
had  been  no  meetings  of  that  church  for  a  year,  and  that  its  members 
were  all  supporting  the  church  in  Lowville.  The  fact  is  that  the  Low- 
ville Church  had  absorbed  the  Stow's  Square  Church,  and  called  itself 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  A  monument  now  marks  the  spot  on 
which  stood  the  original  Stow's  Square  Church. 

In  1826  the  Presbyterian  Society  of  Lowville  purchased  the  building 
of  the  Congregational  Society  and  used  it  for  services  until  it  burned 
in  December  of  the  same  year.  A  new  church  was  built  and  dedicated 
on  January  15,  1829,  and  this  church  burned  almost  exactly  one  year 
later.  Undaunted,  the  church  which  now  numbered  82  members,  built 
a  new  stone  church,  which  was  completed  and  dedicated  in  1830.  This 
is  the  building  which  still  stands  at  the  head  of  the  park  in  Lowville 
and  is  still  in  use.  Extensive  alterations  were  made  on  this  building 
in  1906  and  again  in  1937,  and  today  it  stands  as  a  monument  to  heroic 
souls  of  a  day  gone  by,  and  is  loved  and  cherished  by  all  its  members. 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

The  manse  was  purchased  in  1848,  and  the  Session  House,  now 
known  as  the  Chapel,  was  built  in  1853. 

Twenty-three  ministers  have  served  the  church  since  its  founding 
in  1822.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  O.  Theodore  Anderson,  was  installed 
in  1929,  and  serves  a  congregation  of  406  persons. 


THE  FOREST  CHURCH— LYONS  FALLS 

Founded  1826 

Forest  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  on  February  13,  1826, 
at  the  home  of  George  Pinney,  which  stood  about  four  miles  from  what 
is  now  known  as  Lyons  Falls.  On  that  day  twelve  men  and  women, 
who  became  the  charter  members  of  this  congregation,  having  invited 
Rev.  Ruel  Kimball  of  Leyden  Hill  to  meet  with  them,  effected  their 
church  organization,  adopted  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith, 
elected  elders,  whom  Mr.  Kimball  ordained  to  their  holy  office. 

Their  homes  were  set  in  the  wilderness,  off  from  the  main  route  of 
travel;  and  not  being  able  to  have  the  regular  services  of  a  minister, 
they  nevertheless  "Unanimously  resolved  that  they  would  meet  every 
Sabbath  for  religious  worship,  and  would  do  their  utmost  to  sustain  it." 
For  23  years  they  met  in  the  homes  of  the  members  for  worship,  and 
these  homes  became  a  sanctuary,  a  house  of  prayer,  a  place  of  public 
worship. 

During  this  period  ministers  from  Boonville,  Lowville  and  other 
surrounding  communities  conducted  services  for  them,  and  celebrated 
with  them  the  sacrament  of  the  Holy  Communion.  Among  these  minis- 
ters were  Rev.  Ruel  Kimball,  Rev.  Isaac  Clinton  of  Lowville,  and  Rev. 
William  Goodell,  a  missionary  to  Turkey.  (Mr.  Goodell  was  home  on 
furlough  for  two  years,  and  was  the  son  of  Simeon  Goodell,  one  of  the 
elders  of  this  church). 

Though  without  a  church  edifice,  they  were  received  as  a  congre- 
gation into  the  Watertown  Presbytery. 

By  1849  the  means  of  travel  were  somewhat  improved;  and  the 
congregation,  now  numbering  20,  engaged  Rev.  Holcomb  of  Leyden 
Hill  to  divide  his  time  with  them,  and  to  avail  themselves  of  his  minis- 
try, they  worshipped  in  the  Port  Leyden  schoolhouse  for  four  years. 

89 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

On  the  Rim  Road,  about  four  miles  south  of  Lyons  Falls,  was  born 
in  the  home  of  one  of  the  early  settlers,  people  of  the  Presbyterian 
faith,  a  son,  Thomas  Brainerd,  who  entered  the  Christian  ministry. 
Dr.  Brainerd  was  in  the  habit  of  spending  his  summer  vacations  at  his 
home,  and  through  his  friends  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.  (Dr.  Brainerd  was 
at  that  time  pastor  of  the  Pine  Street  Presbyterian  Church)  funds  were 
secured  to  help  in  the  erection  of  a  church  edifice;  and  on  August  6, 
1854,  the  first  church  edifice  was  dedicated,  and  continued  in  use  for 
forty  years. 

The  coming  of  the  railroad  caused  the  village  to  be  built  up  on  the 
opposite  (west)  side  of  the  Black  River,  with  the  result  that  the  con- 
gregation decided  to  erect  a  new  edifice  in  that  part  of  the  village. 
This  edifice  was  dedicated  on  July  12,  1894.  To  this  church  was  added 
the  parish  house  with  a  commodious  hall  upstairs  and  a  large  dining 
room  and  kitchen  in  the  basement,  dedicated  on  September  1,  1926. 

Twenty-eight  ministers  and  a  number  of  suppl}^  preachers  have 
served  the  church  in  its  history  of  117  years.  The  present  pastor, 
Rev.  Raymond  E.  Muthard,  was  installed  in  1937. 


THE  MARTINSBURG   CHURCH 

Founded  1810 

The  First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Martinsburg  was  formed  Decem- 
ber 9,  1810,  with  47  charter  members  and  nine  trustees. 

It  is  of  interest  to  know  that  the  village  of  Martinsburg  is  credited 
with  having  the  first  church  edifice  to  be  erected  in  this  state,  north  of 
the  Mohawk  River.    It  was  built  in  1806. 

General  Walter  Martin  in  the  year  of  1827  made  a  generous  dona- 
tion to  the  church,  which  made  possible  the  purchase  of  a  church  bell 
at  a  cost  of  $400.  The  congregation  raised  other  funds  by  means  of 
which  the  church  was  painted,  redecorated  and  completely  furnished. 

The  old  structure  was  destroyed  by  lightning  on  August  1,  1854. 
Four  years  later,  in  1858,  a  new  building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 
It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  minister  at  this  time  received  an  annual 
salary  of  $250. 

90 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

This  church  was  originally  Congregational  in  its  system  of  govern- 
ment, but  later  in  1812  adopted  the  Presbyterian  system. 

In  more  recent  years,  the  membership  of  the  church  has  been 
gradually  reduced  by  the  passing  of  its  older  members  and  the  de- 
parture of  many  members  to  other  communities.  However,  the  present 
members  are  loyal  and  faithful  and  their  devotion  to  the  "church  on 
the  hill,"  as  it  is  called,  has  not  abated. 

In  the  past  year,  1942,  the  exterior  of  the  church  was  painted  and 
the  interior  renovated  and  redecorated. 

The  church  has  seldom  been  without  a  pastor  for  any  great  length 
of  time.  During  this  past  year,  the  church  has  been  ably  supplied  by 
Mr.  Robert  Odell  of  Utica,  who  is  now  a  student  at  Hamilton  College, 
Clinton,  N.  Y. 


THE  NEW  HARTFORD  CHURCH 

Founded  1791 

Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards  visited  town  and  preached  in  a  barn  built 
by  Col.  Jedediah  Sanger  in  August  1791.  Shortly  after  this,  ten  men 
and  three  women,  with  the  help  of  Dr.  Edwards,  organized  "The  First 
Religious  Society  of  Whitestown."  They  pledged  themselves  to  a 
Christian  life  and  to  build  a  church  home.  They  arranged  a  contract 
with  Col.  Sanger  for  a  suitable  building  and  began  to  build  the  follow- 
ing year. 

The  original  building  was  typical  of  the  colonial  architectural  lines. 
The  exterior  was  painted  white  with  green  shutters;  its  main  entrance 
opened  to  the  village  green  facing  the  turnpike  on  Oxford  Street.  A 
fence  surrounded  the  park  to  keep  the  cows  out,  with  the  customary 
carriage  sheds  close  by.  The  interior  had  box  pews,  painted  white, 
with  cherry  trim.  The  gallery  was  also  composed  of  box  pews  with  a 
special  section  reserved  for  slaves  referred  to  as  "blacks."  The  pulpit 
was  the  customary  high  one  with  narrow  winding  stairway. 

In  the  year  of  1824  there  were  many  improvements;  the  great 
church  bell  was  recast,  at  which  time  Col.  Sanger  cast  into  the  molten 
metal  thirty  silver  dollars  to  sweeten  the  tone. 

91 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

A  choir  is  first  mentioned  in  1835,  when  the  session  appropriated 
money  for  six  copies  of  Handel  and  Haydn's  collection  of  church  music, 
and  twelve  copies  of  church  psalmody. 

After  a  few  years  of  relationship  with  the  New  England  Congrega- 
tionals,  the  Society  adopted  the  rules  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
in  1802  joined  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida. 

The  generosity  of  the  congregation  has  been  outstanding  down  the 
years.  One  officially  recorded  item  reads  as  follows:  "On  May  1st, 
1880,  the  Session  voted  to  pay  the  interest  ($500)  on  a  $7,000  mortgage 
for  five  years  for  a  neighbor  church  in  a  nearby  town."  The  interest, 
too,  in  education  has  been  strong.  When  Kirkland  founded  Hamilton 
College,  the  members  gave  liberally  to  this  cause. 

Many  fine  gifts  in  the  way  of  church  furnishings  have  been  added. 
Such  gifts  as  the  tower  clock,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Terry,  the  wife  of  a 
former  pastor;  the  illuminating  system  in  memory  of  Mr.  Ellis  Morris^ 
given  by  friends.  Likewise  a  baptismal  font,  a  silver  communion  set,  a 
beautiful  communion  table,  a  table  cross,  pulpit  Bible,  a  Hymn  tablet 
and  a  church  signboard  were  all  donated  by  members  of  the  church. 

This  161-year-old  church  has  had  but  14  pastors.  The  longest 
pastorate  was  that  of  Rev.  Oliver  A.  Kingsbury,  22  years  (1891-1913); 
the  next  longest,  Rev.  Noah  Coe,  21  years  (1814-1835),  and  the  next 
that  of  Rev.  Elliot  N.  Payson,  16  years  (1845-1861).  The  average 
length  of  tenure  is  eleven  years. 

The  present  membership  is  244  persons.  The  present  pastor,  Rev. 
Tracy  Day  Spencer,  has  served  the  church  since  1939. 


ZION  WELSH  CHURCH-NEW  HARTFORD 

Founded  1888 

The  Zion  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  in  1888,  for 
the  convenience  of  Welsh  residents  of  that  section.  The  organizers  were 
Richard  Owen,  now  of  Australia,  and  the  late  Enoch  W.  Morris,  Hugh 
Foulkes  Williams  and  David  Williams. 

The  first  meetings  were  held  in  the  home  of  Enoch  Morris,  and 
later  services  were  held  in  rooms  on  the  second  floor  of  the  building 
now  occupied  by  the  First  National  Bank. 

92 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

In  May  1895,  the  membership  was  large  enough  for  a  more  suitable 
place  of  worship,  and  a  lot  on  Pearl  Street  was  purchased  for  $425, 
and  the  present  church  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  $3,000. 

In  1915  a  small  pipe  organ  was  installed  in  the  church,  and  in  April 
1931,  the  total  debt  of  the  church  was  cleared. 

While  the  present  membership  of  the  church  is  less  than  25,  a  review 
of  the  church  records  available  shows  that  a  great  many  Welsh  families 
of  New  Hartford  and  vicinity  were  a  part  of  its  membership. 

John  D.  Roberts,  age  81,  of  2653  Sunset  Avenue,  Utica,  a  member 
of  the  present  board  of  trustees,  is  the  only  living  member  of  the  orig- 
inal board  now  living. 

In  January  1941,  with  the  approval  of  the  Presbytery,  the  property 
was  deeded  to  Amicable  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.  of  New  Hartford,  to  be 
used  as  a  Masonic  Temple,  the  lodge  in  turn  agreeing  to  provide  a 
meeting  place  for  the  church  without  charge,  as  long  as  Zion  Church 
may  continue  to  hold  worship  services. 

THE  NEW  YORK  MILLS  CHURCH 
WALCOTT  MEMORIAL 

Founded  1830 

In  1818,  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Whitestown  started  a  Sunday 
school  class  in  New  York  Mills,  which  met  in  the  old  burrstone  mill. 
March  18,  1830,  a  committee  appointed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida 
organized  a  Presbyterian  Church  at  New  York  Mills,  with  fifty-four 
charter  members,  of  whom  forty-four  presented  certificates  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Whitesboro;  six  from  the  church  at  New 
Hartford;  while  four  were  received  on  confession  of  faith.  A  year 
later,  Rev.  George  Foote  was  installed  as  the  first  settled  pastor. 

The  first  edifice  was  a  wooden  building,  apparently  erected  in 
1830,  located  near  the  soldiers'  monument  just  south  of  the  present 
church.  This  building  was  burned  on  a  cold  Sabbath  morning  in 
February  1835,  catching  fire  from  a  large  stove  in  the  basement.  In 
the  same  month,  action  was  taken  upon  the  building  of  a  new  church; 
and  it  was  finished  and  dedicated  the  same  year,  being  built  of  brick 
on  the  foundation  of  the  first  church. 

When  Benjamin  S.  Walcott  died  in  1862,  he  left  a  fund  of  $10,000 

93 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

to  build  a  new  church.  This  was  supplemented  by  a  larger  sum  by  his 
son,  William  Dexter  Walcott.  Accordingly  in  January  1881,  it  was 
voted  to  build  a  new  church  and  to  call  it  "The  Walcott  Memorial 
Presbyterian  Church."  Generous  contributions  were  received  from 
many  of  the  devoted  members  of  the  church  to  complete  its  furnishing. 
The  total  cost  was  $33,000.  The  new  edifice  was  dedicated  on  Feb- 
ruary 8,  1882,  entirely  free  of  debt. 

Changing  population  has  made  the  lot  of  this  church  increasingly 
difficult  in  the  past  few  years,  but  it  still  carries  on. 

About  14  ministers  have  served  the  church  since  1830. 

On  September  30,  1942,  Rev.  Emanuel  J.  Kallina  was  released 
by  the  Presbytery  from  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  after  having  served 
fifteen  years.  Since  that  time,  Rev.  Charles  M.  Dodge  has  been 
supplying  the  pulpit  of  this  church,  together  with  that  of  the  church 
at  Yorkville. 

THE  NORTH  GAGE  CHURCH 

Founded  1829 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Oneida  Presbytery  held  in  Utica  in  the  fall 
of  1829,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  consider  the  organization  of  a 
church  at  North  Gage  in  the  Town  of  Deerfield.  This  committee  met 
at  the  school  house  in  North  Gage,  October  7,  1829,  and  after  full 
consideration  by  those  present  of  the  wisdom  of  organizing  a  church, 
it  was  unanimously  agreed  that  a  Presbyterian  church  be  immediately 
organized  at  North  Gage  in  the  Town  of  Deerfield.  Those  present 
then  proceeded  to  the  measures  necessaiy  to  establish  a  Presbyterian 
church;  and  after  prayer  by  Abijah  Crane,  a  member  of  the  Trenton 
Presbyterian  Church,  17  persons  offered  themselves  for  church  mem- 
bership, and  presented  their  certificates  of  good  standing  from  the 
church  at  Trenton.  The  first  elders  chosen  were  Duncan  Blue  and 
Warner  Forbes. 

.  Church  services  were  held  in  the  school  house  during  the  following 
winter  and  spring  of  1830,  and  a  church  building  was  erected  by  the 
Presbyterian  and  Baptist  Societies,  and  dedicated  in  September  1830, 
where  the  present  church  now  stands.    It  was  rebuilt  in  1850. 

During  the  112  years  this  church  has  had  39  pastors,  and  has  a 
membership  now  of  60  persons. 

Since  1935  this  church  has  been  served  by  Rev.  Samuel  Southern. 

94     . 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  NORWICH  CORNERS  CHURCH 

Founded  1798 

The  Norwich  Corners  Church  Society  was  organized  in  the  year 
1798  as  a  Congregational  society,  with  82  members.  The  church  was 
organized  with  a  constitution  and  a  Statement  of  Faith,  to  which  all 
members  had  to  sign  their  names.  The  first  building  was  erected  in 
1802  at  a  cost  of  $3,000.  In  1810  it  was  destroyed  by  lightning. 
Immediately  a  movement  was  started  to  rebuild  and  another  church 
was  erected  in  1811.  Later  in  1843  the  church  was  remodeled  at  an 
expense  of  $1,200.  The  next  year  the  parsonage  was  purchased  from 
Mr.  Everett. 

In  the  record  of  the  building  of  the  church  in  1810  the  society  voted 
to  ask  the  State  Legislature  for  a  grant  to  hold  a  lottery  to  enable  a  new 
meeting  house  to  be  built.  On  the  passing  of  a  subscription  paper  to 
build  a  "Suitable  House  of  God"  $915  was  secured.  A  day  was  set 
aside  for  a  pew  vendue  and  the  pews  brought  from  $12  to  $120  a  year. 

In  1827,  the  church  being  without  a  pastor,  a  meeting  was  called  for 
the  purpose  of  propagating  the  gospel,  and  on  motion  it  was  decided  to 
call  one  of  the  Congregational  or  Presbyterian  Order.  Rev.  Caleb 
Burge  was  called,  and  42  members  subscribed  to  a  covenant  of  faith 
and  practice  to  support  the  pastor,  to  honor  and  encourage  him. 

In  the  year  1843  the  Sunday  school  was  organized. 

In  1846  the  church  was  divided;  one  group  known  as  the  "church 
party"  and  the  other,  the  "house  party,"  and  each  party  carried  on 
separately.  In  January  1859,  the  "church  party"  was  placed  under 
the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica,  but  continued  in  form  as  a  Con- 
gregational Society.  In  1866  the  two  parties  were  united  under  the 
ministry  of  Rev.  David  Bigger,  who  remained  two  years.  The 
following  two  years  the  church  was  without  a  pastor;  neighboring 
ministers  and  students  from  Auburn  Seminary  supplied  the  church. 
The  church  was  closed  for  two  years,  there  being  such  a  loss  in  mem- 
bership by  death  and  removal  from  the  neighborhood,  there  were  not 
enough  people  to  help  in  supporting  a  minister. 

In  1876  the  Norwich  Comers  Church  united  with  the  Jerusalem 
Hill  Church,  and  services  were  renewed. 

In  1887  the  church  changed  its  form  from  the  Congregational  to 
the  Presbyterian  system. 

95 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

In  1890  the  church  was  repaired  and  stained  glass  windows  put  in, 
and  the  interior  decorated. 

In  1898  other  alterations  were  made  and  a  new  organ  purchased. 

In  1928  electric  lights  were  installed,  both  for  inside  and  exterior 
use. 

In  1941  a  church  house  was  built,  adding  much  to  the  convenience 
and  usefulness  of  the  church  to  the  community. 

The  Ladies  Aid  Society  added  much  to  the  social  and  financial  life 
of  the  church.  A  young  people's  society  was  formed  about  1890  and 
continues  to  hold  its  meetings  and  assumes  a  large  part  of  the  work 
of  the  church. 

The  church  has  been  served  by  43  ministers  in  a  span  of  144  years. 
The  present  pastor,  Rev.  James  H.  Boal,  came  in  1942. 

THE  OLD  FORGE  CHURCH— NIGOLLS 
MEMORIAL 

Founded  1897 

The  first  Protestant  services  in  the  community  were  conducted  by 
Rev.  Samuel  Nicolls  of  St.  Louis  Mo.,  who  in  1890  built  a  summer 
home  on  the  shores  of  First  Lake.  On  Sundays,  it  was  his  habit  to 
invite  the  people  of  the  community  to  his  camp  for  a  religious  service. 
Due  to  the  splendid  services  he  rendered  at  this  time,  the  church  was 
named  after  him. 

Rev.  R.  Howard  Wallace  established  the  first  church  in  1897. 
It  was  known  as  the  Southern  Adirondack  Mission,  and  was  sponsored 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Utica  and  partly  supported  by  the  Home  Missions 
Board.  Rev.  R.  H.  Wallace  served  as  pastor  up  to  the  year  1904, 
when  he  retired  after  serving  as  minister  in  various  fields  for  a  period 
of  50  years. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  B.  B.  Knapp  (1909-1919),  the 
present  church  edifice  was  erected. 

Nine  ministers  have  served  this  church  throughout  its  history. 
Rev.  Frank  A.  Reed  served  the  church  from  1926  to  1938,  when  he 
resigned  to  take  up  the  larger  parish  work  of  the  lumber  camp  region 
in  the  Adirondacks.  Rev.  Raymond  H.  Rosche  served  as  pastor 
from  1939  to  1942,  when  he  accepted  a  call  to  serve  as  minister  of 
The  Church  of  the  Covenant  in  New  York  City. 

96 


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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  ONEIDA  CHURCH 

Founded  1844 

The  year  1839  saw  the  completion  of  a  railway  between  Syracuse 
and  Utica.  Mr.  Sands  Higinbotham  had  given  a  tract  of  land,  between 
these  cities,  to  the  railway,  and  had  secured  a  station  in  return.  The 
village  which  grew  as  a  result  was  called  Oneida  Depot. 

Early  in  the  year  1844,  Mr.  Higinbotham  called  a  meeting  at  his 
home  to  consider  the  formation  of  a  Presbyterian  society.  In  April  of 
that  year,  a  group  of  citizens  requested  the  Presbytery  of  Albany  to 
form  a  Presbyterian  church.  Accordingly^  on  June  13,  1844,  there  was 
organized  a  church  of  30  members.  Of  the  original  number,  20  were 
received  from  the  older  church  at  Wampsville. 

A  building  lot,  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Mulberry  (now  Lenox 
Ave.)  streets,  was  given  by  Mr.  Niles  Higinbotham.  Both  men  and 
women  contributed  money,  labor  and  materials  for  the  erection  of  a 
church  which  was  dedicated  in  January  1845.  The  church  was  self- 
sustaining,  except  for  the  first  year,  when  the  Board  of  Missions  gave 
$200. 

From  the  trying  times  of  the  Civil  War,  the  church  seems  to  have 
emerged  in  harmony  and  continued  in  growth  and  service.  By  1871 
the  membership  had  increased  to  225. 

During  1883-84,  the  present  edifice,  corner  of  Broad  and  Stone 
Streets,  was  erected  and  dedicated  free  of  debt. 

In  1923  a  large  addition  was  made  to  the  church  for  the  use  of  the 
Sunday  school  and  to  afford  space  for  recreation  rooms. 

During  the  latter  part  of  1941,  the  house  adjoining  the  church  on 
Stone  Street  was  entirely  remodeled  for  a  manse. 


■  The  church  has  sent  out  five  young  men  into  the  ministry:  William 

'      S.  Carter,  John  A.  Winterick,  Willis  B.  Phelps,  Miles  A.   Freeman, 
Indiana,  and  N.  Harry  Champlin,  Alaska. 

From  the  first,  the  church  has  been  missionary-minded.  For  some 
years  the  members  of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society  conducted  Sunday 
schools  in  rural  centers.  For  28  years.  Rev.  Gilbert  Mcintosh,  a 
missionary  in  China,  was  maintained  by  the  church.  Rev.  E.  M. 
Knox  and  his  sister  went  to  Utah  as  missionaries,  and  Mrs.  Florence 
Wemple  Cordova  as  a  missionary  to  North  Carolina.     Through  the 

97 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

R.  B.  Ruby  Fund,  partial  support  is  now  given  to  a  Sunday  school 
missionary  in  Pike  County,  Kentucky. 

The  Oneida  Church  has  been  fortunate  in  having  two  pastors  whose 
services  covered  more  than  half  of  its  99  years:  Dr.  Jessup  and  Dr. 
Swinnerton  were  true  ministers  during  their  pastorates,  and  their  in- 
fluence is  still  strong.    It  has  had  only  nine  pastors  in  98  years. 

This  church  now  has  a  membership  of  584  persons,  and  since  1941 
has  been  served  by  Rev.  James  J.  Morley. 


THE  ONEIDA  CASTLE   CHURCH— 

COCHRAN  MEMORIAL 

Founded  1819 

On  the  12th  day  of  April  1819,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  village 
of  Sconondoa  for  the  purpose  of  constituting  a  church.  Rev.  Oliver 
Ayer  was  moderator,  and  Rev.  Calvin  Bushnell  acted  as  clerk. 

On  the  24th  day  of  January  1832,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  school 
house,  Oneida  Castle,  and  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  of  Oneida 
Castle  and  Sconondoa  was  constituted  and  trustees  were  elected. 

In  the  summer  of  the  same  year,  a  church  was  built  on  the  public 
green  at  the  Castle  and  the  people  of  this  society  worshipped  in  the 
same  until  January  1887,  the  last  service  in  the  old  church  being  held 
on  January  23rd  of  that  year. 

In  1885,  a  Congregational  meeting  was  called  to  make  a  decision 
on  the  question  of  a  new  house  of  worship.  It  was  decided  to  build 
a  new  church  if  $6,000  could  be  raised.  A  house  to  house  canvass  was 
made  and  friends  of  the  church,  non-residents,  were  also  canvassed. 
It  is  pleasant  to  report  that  one-sixth  of  the  entire  amount  was  con- 
tributed by  non-residents.  The  building  committee  consisted  of  W.  J. 
Wilcox,  Hamilton  Lamb  and  R.  W.  Powers.  The  total  cost  of  the 
building  was  $7,187.  Of  this  amount  $6,237  was  given  by  members 
and  friends;  the  ladies  of  the  society,  $365.65,  leaving  a  balance  of 
$550,  which  was  paid  by  a  note  and  the  amount  of  indebtedness  was 
raised  later  by  the  members. 

Rev.  Andrew  Cochran,  who  had  served  as  pastor  for  30  years, 
died  in  September  1886,  about  four  months  before  the  new  edifice  was 
dedicated.    The  date  of  dedication  was  January  26,  1887. 

98 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

It  was  a  worthy  and  well-earned  tribute  that  the  Church  should  be 
named  after  Mr.  Cochran. 

Mr.  C.  Will  Chappell  in  the  report  of  the  building  committee,  has 
this  to  say:  "How  faithfully  and  well  Mr.  Cochran  performed  his  duty 
was  evinced  by  the  sad  throng  who  gathered  in  the  old  church  last  fall 
to  do  honor  to  his  memory." 

It  seemed  to  those  who  knew  him  best,  that  after  the  building  of  a 
new  church  was  an  assured  fact,  he  was  as  much  interested  in  it  as  if  it 
had  been  a  house  for  his  private  use.  To  him  alone  is  due  the  large 
and  liberal  subscriptions  that  were  given  by  the  people,  and  it  has  been 
remarked  that  no  one  else  could  have  taken  that  paper  and  received 
the  financial  encouragement  that  he  did.  He  labored  most  diligently 
to  provide  the  means  to  build,  and  while  he  is  not  permitted  to  be 
present  at  its  dedication,  he  is  today  enjoying  a  house  far  better,  one 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens." 

The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  George  D.  Baker, 
D.D.,  pastor  of  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia,  using  as  his 
text  Exodus  20:24. 

Rev.  E.  H.  Payson,  who  was  a  speaker  on  the  same  occasion, 
closed  with  this  sentence:  'T  am  authorized  to  say  that  hereafter  the 
name  of  this  church  will  be  the  Cochran  Memorial  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Oneida  Castle  and  Sconondoa." 

In  1922,  the  church  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire,  but  was  restored 
and  redecorated  in  1923.  The  church  is  built  after  the  Queen  Anne 
style  of  architecture.  The  exterior  is  imposing  and  durable,  while  the 
interior  finished  in  oak  frescoed  with  more  than  ordinary  beauty,  hand- 
somely carpeted,  neatly  cushioned,  and  finely  furnished  pulpit  and 
choir.  It  is  heated  with  approved  furnaces.  It  has  three  elegant 
memorial  stained  glass  windows.  A  brass  tablet,  in  memory  of  Mr, 
Cochran  and  another  of  an  honored  member,  adorn  the  walls. 

The  church  has  had  12  pastors  in  its  124  years  of  history. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  219  persons.  Rev. 
Frank  E.  Magor,  the  present  pastor,  was  installed  October  16,  1938. 


99 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  WATERBURY  MEMORIAL— ORISKANY 

Founded  1831 

On  August  8,  1831,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  Oriskany  schoolhouse 
for  the  purpose  of  considering  "the  expediency  of  forming  a  Pres- 
byterian church  in  this  village."  The  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer 
by  Rev.  Samuel  C.  Aiken,  Utica.  Rev.  John  Frost,  Whitesboro, 
acted  as  moderator,  and  A.  E.  Frazer  served  as  secretary.  The  group 
met  again  on  August  14,  when  a  list  of  thirteen  charter  members  was 
recorded. 

In  December  1831,  the  church  was  incorporated  and  was  given  the 
name  of  the  Presbyterian  Society  of  the  Village  of  Oriskany.  The  first 
elder  was  Sylvester  Bliss,  who  joined  by  letter  from  the  church  at 
Whitesboro,  and  who  served  the  church  as  elder  for  47  years,  longer 
than  any  other  elder  ever  served.  It  was  largely  due  to  his  efforts  that 
the  first  building  was  dedicated  on  December  30,  1835.  This  building 
stood  on  the  lot  west  of  the  present  home  of  Charles  Waterbury. 

On  January  18,  1898,  the  society  moved  from  that  building  to  its 
present  location  at  the  top  of  the  hill  on  Utica  Street.  This  beautiful 
building  was  erected  in  memory  of  Henry  Waterbury  and  his  wife, 
Mary  Stevens  Waterbury,  and  was  given  by  their  children  to  the 
society.  At  that  time  the  name  of  the  society  was  changed  to  the 
Waterbury  Memorial  Presbyterian  Church.  The  presentation  of  the 
church  building  to  the  society  was  made  in  behalf  of  the  Waterbury 
children  by  Professor  Oren  Root  of  Hamilton  College. 

Members  of  the  same  family,  after  whom  the  church  is  named,  have 
generously  added  other  splendid  gifts,  such  as  a  large  stained  glass 
window;  a  marble  baptismal  font,  and  a  new  pipe  organ  dedicated  in 
December  of  1929. 

Twenty-six  pastors  have  served  the  church  in  a  life  span  of  111 
years.  The  late  Rev.  George  C.  Frost  served  the  longest  period,  having 
been  pastor  for  19  years. 

At  present  the  membership  of  the  church  is  around  300  persons. 
Rev.  W.  I.  Eaton  has  been  pastor  since  1939. 


100 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  REMSEN  CHURCH 

Founded  1831 

On  the  first  day  of  January  1831,  ihe  trustees,  Hugh  H.  Owen, 
Edward  Jones  and  William  Prichard  of  the  First  Welsh  Whitefield 
(or  Calvinistic)  Methodist  Society  of  Remsen  and  Steuben  purchased 
from  Moses  Jones  and  Dinah,  his  wife,  for  forty  dollars,  one  acre  of 
land  on  the  hill,  in  what  is  now  known  as  the  village  of  Remsen,  for 
the  purpose  of  building  a  church  thereon.  In  the  spring  following, 
work  was  started  and  the  present  stone  building  (since  then  known  as 
the  Stone  Church)  was  completed  by  the  fall  of  that  year.  No  changes 
have  been  made  to  the  exterior  of  the  building  up  to  the  present  time, 
with  the  exception  of  its  being  reroofed  with  Vermont  slate  in  place  of 
the  original  wood  shingles.  This  was  done  in  the  year  1888.  The 
interior  was  altered  in  1872,  1888  and  1923.  On  the  front  of  the 
church  over  the  entrance  is  a  built-in  stone  tablet  with  the  following 
inscription: 

"Adeiladwyd  y  Ty  Hwn 

gan  y  Trefnyddion  (Whitefield) 

Calfinaidd  Cymreig 

i  addoli'r  Arglwydd,  yn  y  flwyddyn 

1831" 

Translation:  "This  house  was  built  by  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  (White- 
field)  Methodists  to  worship  the  Lord,  in  the  year  1831." 

There  is  no  record  available  other  than  the  deed  of  the  land  to  the 
trustees,  but  it  is  known  to  the  writer  that  Rev.  William  Williams 
was  the  foreman  of  the  stone  work,  and  that  Robert  Hughes  and  sons 
had  charge  of  the  woodwork.  This  same  Rev.  William  Williams  was 
present  at  the  dedication  and  delivered  the  sermon.  Other  ministers 
present  were  Rev.  William  Pierce  and  Rev.  Benjamin  Davis.  It  is 
also  known  that  the  sons  who  did  the  carpenter  work  were  later  elected 
as  elders  of  the  church.  For  many  years  the  church  was  without  a 
pastor,  being  supplied  by  local  preachers,  among  whom  were  Rev. 
Benjamin  Davis,  Rev.  Morris  Roberts,  Rev.  David  Steffens  and  others. 
About  1850,  Rev.  David  Williams  came  from  Wales  and  was  called 
as  pastor.  He  served  the  church  for  three  years,  then  left  for  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.  The  church  was  then  supplied  by  local  pastors  until  1872, 
when  Rev.  David  M.  Jones  served  until  1879.  Since  that  date 
eleven  pastors  and  two  supplies  have  served.  The  present  pastor, 
Rev.  Frank  W.  Twitchell,  was  installed  in  1942. 

101 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  ENLLI  CHURCH 

Founded  1848 

Ynys  Enlli  is  the  Welsh  name  for  the  Bardsey  Isle.  When  John  R. 
Jones,  his  wife  and  five  children,  first  settled  in  this  neighborhood,  they 
named  it  Enlli,  after  their  old  home.  The  Enlli  Church  was  organized 
in  1848.    The  first  elders  were  Jenkyn  Jones  and  James  Williams. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  society,  plans  were  made  for 
the  erection  of  a  church  building.  Tradition  says  that  timbers  were 
cut  from  the  virgin  forest  and  brought  to  the  site.  As  construction 
progressed,  it  was  decided  that  too  large  a  building  was  being  erected. 
The  timbers  were  recut,  and  as  a  result,  there  is  a  building  which  is 
"not  so  long  as  it  is  wide."  Since  its  erection,  the  structure  has  re- 
mained the  same,  being  kept  in  repair  by  the  members  of  the  congre- 
gation. 

This  building  has  stood  as  a  landmark  for  the  community.  It  was 
"so  many  feet"  from  one  corner  of  this  building  that  the  surveyors  took 
their  bearings  as  they  plotted  the  road  that  would  continue  east 
through  the  forest. 

During  the  summer  months,  the  Welsh  of  the  community  gathered 
here  on  the  Sabbaths  for  their  worship  services.  The  church  members 
of  today  do  not  recall  of  ever  holding  services  during  the  winter  months, 
nor  do  they  remember  of  having  a  pastor  just  for  themselves,  but 
rather  they  were  dependent  upon  pastors  from  Remsen,  Prospect, 
etc.  Because  of  this,  and  typical  of  the  other  Welsh  churches  of  this 
area,  very  meagre  records  were  kept  of  the  proceedings.  No  records 
can  now  be  found  of  the  period  between  1848  and  1887.  From  then 
on  we  have  only  the  trustees'  reports  which  give  briefly  the  financial 
record  of  the  church.  These  records  were  kept  in  Welsh  until  1914, 
and  then  the  English  was  adopted. 

The  records  report  that  the  last  annual  meeting  was  held  in  1941, 
and  that  Rev.  Ernest  Grant  was  engaged  for  the  summer  services. 
Since  then  the  church  has  been  closed.  According  to  the  General 
Assembly  Minutes,  there  are  24  members  of  this  church. 


102 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  NANT  CHURCH 

Founded  1800 

The  first  prayer  meeting  of  this  vicinity  was  organized  about 
January  1,  1799,  somewhere  near  Steuben.  Prayer  services  were  held 
each  Sabbath.  Out  of  these  meetings  came  the  Union  Church,  and  in 
1801,  Rev.  John  G.  Roberts  became  the  first  regular  pastor. 

A  small  group  left  the  Union  Church  and  erected  a  building  at  Nant 
in  1828.  The  records  of  this  organization  up  to  1856,  so  far  as  known, 
have  been  lost.  The  building  was  later  moved  from  its  foundations,  and 
some  of  the  materials  were  used  to  form  part  of  the  home  now  owned 
by  Humphrey  Ellis. 

On  January  4,  1856,  a  meeting  was  called  in  this  early  building  to 
reorganize.  The  name  chosen  was  "The  First  Calvinistic  Methodist 
Society,"  and  seven  trustees  were  duly  elected.  The  organization  of  the 
church  was  certified  on  January  7,  1856,  before  Russell  Fuller,  a  justice 
of  the  peace.  Records  show  that  to  date  23  trustees  have  served  the 
church.  No  record  has  been  kept  of  the  deacons  or  elders.  The  elders 
now  serving  are  Nelson  Meade  and  Humphrey  Ellis. 

No  record  was  kept  of  the  pastors,  but  the  following  names  are 
reverently  recalled:  Rev.  George  Lamb,  Rev.  David  M.  Jones,  Rev.  E. 
C.  Evans,  Rev.  Morris  S.  Jones,  Rev.  Hugh  Rowlands,  Rev.  D.  C. 
Davies,  Rev.  R.  Wynne  Bellis. 

The  present  church  building  was  erected  in  1856,  costing  $1,200. 
The  society,  upon  organization,  became  a  member  of  the  Calvinistic 
Methodist  Church.  Later  it  was  a  member  of  the  Oneida  Welsh  Pres- 
bytery, and  upon  the  dissolution  of  this  Presbytery,  it  became  affiliated 
to  Utica  Presbytery,  of  which  it  is  now  a  member. 

The  church  cooperated  with  the  Welsh  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Remsen,  N.  Y.,  since  the  latter's  organization,  in  the  hiring  of  the  same 
pastor.  Services  were  regularly  held  at  2:00  o'clock  on  Sunday  after- 
noons, and  many  services  were  held  on  Sunday  evenings.  The  Welsh 
language  was  used  entirely  until  about  1903,  and  then  the  English  lan- 
guage was  adopted  for  all  services. 

The  last  congregational  meeting  was  held,  according  to  available 
records,  in  April  1937.  Worship  services  were  held  for  some  time 
thereafter,  but  the  doors  have  now  been  closed  for  approximately  five 
years.  According  to  the  records,  there  are  now  enrolled  38  members. 
The  dissolution  or  the  reorganization  of  this  small  band  of  Christians 
is  one  of  the  problems  facing  LTtica  Presbytery. 

103 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

FIRST  CHURCH— ROME 

Founded  1800 

On  September  28,  1800,  at  the  home  of  Ebenezer  Wright,  in 
Wright  Settlement,  three  miles  east  of  Rome,  this  church  was  organ- 
ized under  the  name  "The  First  Religious  Society  of  Rome,"  with  14 
persons  as  charter  members.  Shortly  they  moved  to  Rome,  using  a 
barn  for  services,  which  had  been  used  previously  as  a  ball  room,  a 
store  room,  and  then  a  schoolhouse. 

The  first  house  of  worship  was  built  in  1807  and  in  the  same  year, 
they  called  their  first  pastor,  Rev.  Moses  Gillett,  who  served  30  years, 
and  who  increased  the  membership  from  34  to  807. 

The  second  pastor.  Rev.  Selden  Haines,  came  in  1841.  He  united 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  (organized  in  1831)  with  the  First 
in  1847. 

The  third  pastor.  Rev.  William  E.  Knox,  D.D.,  coming  in  1848, 
served  21  years.  During  this  time,  the  present  church  was  built  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  1,000,  and  in  the  year  of  1852,  the  congregation 
adopted  the  Presbyterian  form  of  government  in  place  of  the  Congre- 
gational system. 

The  fourth  pastor.  Rev.  Peter  Stryker,  D.D.,  served  during  1870-76, 
and  he  increased  the  membership  by  136  persons. 

The  fifth  pastor,  Rev.  James  H.  Taylor,  D.D.,  served  IZ  years 
(1876-99). 

The  sixth  pastor.  Rev.  Charles  T.  Sewell,  served  seven  years 
(1900-07).  During  his  pastorate,  the  present  chapel  was  built  with 
rooms  for  classes,  office,  dining  room,  kitchen  and  auditorium,  seating 
200. 

Rev.  Philip  H.  Cole,  D.D.,  the  seventh  pastor,  now  pastor  emeritus, 
served  33  years  (1907-40),  the  longest  term  in  the  church's  history. 
Under  his  able  leadership,  the  roll  of  members  reached  a  maximum  of 
929.  With  such  a  growth  the  church,  for  some  time,  employed  assistant 
pastors  and  directors  of  religious  education. 

During  the  last  years  of  Dr.  Cole's  ministry,  a  splendid  gift  of  a 
huge  pipe  organ  was  made  to  the  church.  Dr.  M.  Woolsey  Stryker, 
formerly  President  of  Hamilton  College,  was  the  donor. 

104 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

It  is  worth  observing,  that  of  the  seven  pastors  serving  in  the  140 
years,  four  of  them  served  over  20  years  and  two  over  30  years,  a  most 
unusual  record  and  an  honor  to  pastors  and  congregation. 

Dr.  Edmond  G.  Dyett,  the  present  pastor,  is  the  great-great  grand- 
son of  one  of  the  church's  first  organizers,  Joshua  Hathaway,  scribe  at 
the  founding  meeting  of  the  church  (1800).  Dr.  Dyett  was  installed 
in  September  of  1940,  and  serves  a  congregation  of  about  751  persons. 


BETHEL  CHURCH— ROME 

Founded  1841 

Bethel  was  organized  as  a  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church 
(1841)  in  Rome,  by  Rev.  W.  Rowlands,  D.D.,  then  minister  of  Moriah 
Church,  Utica,  There  were  twelve  charter  members  and  two  elders, 
William  N,  Jones  and  William  Williams. 

The  first  church  structure  was  on  the  site  of  the  present  offices  of 
Dr.  Reid  on  North  Washington  Street.  The  present  building  was 
erected  (1883)  on  the  corner  of  Turin  and  Washington  Streets. 

The  first  regularly  installed  pastor  was  called  in  1889.  Three 
services,  morning,  afternoon  and  evening  were  held;  prayer  meeting 
every  Tuesday  evening  and  class  meeting  every  Thursday,  and  a 
missionary  meeting  the  first  Monday  of  every  month.  All  these  services 
were  conducted  in  the  Welsh  language. 

The  minister's  stipend  was  raised  by  the  "call  and  answer  method," 
i.e.,  the  member's  name  would  be  called  out  in  church  by  the  "col- 
lector" and  the  "Recorder"  would  enter  his  contribution  in  the  minis- 
terial account  book. 

In  1920,  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church  of  America  united 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  thereupon  the  Welsh  Church  intro- 
duced an  English  service  into  its  order  on  Sunday,  mornings,  retaining 
Welsh  for  the  evenings.  The  children  and  youth,  unable  to  speak  or 
understand  the  Welsh  language,  and  the  more  drastic  immigration  laws 
were  largely  responsible  for  this  language  change.  However,  prayer 
meetings  and  class  meetings  are  still  conducted  in  the  ancient  Welsh 
tongue. 

The  church  adopted  the  name  "Bethel"  (legally)  at  the  time  of 
union  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  U.S.A.  (1920). 

105 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

The  church  in  its  101  years  of  history,  has  had  seven  regularly 
installed  pastors.  Of  its  members,  seven  young  men  became  ordained 
ministers,  among  them:  Albert  Evans,  D.D.,  Washington,  D.C.,  and 
Richard  John  Williams,  INI.A.,  Scranton,  Pa. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Davies,  the  present  pastor,  began  his  work  in  1939  and 
serves  a  congregation  of  300  persons. 

TFIE  UNION   CHURCH— SAUQUOIT 

Founded  1810 

On  January  29,  1810,  26  Christian  men  and  women  met  at  the 
home  of  Abner  Bacon  in  what  is  now  Sauquoit,  to  organize  a  church  of 
Christ.  Most  of  them  brought  letters  of  transfer  from  churches  at 
Norwich  Corners,  Bridgewater,  Paris  Hill  and  New  Hartford.  Earlier 
settlements  had  been  on  the  hills,  but  with  the  growth  of  the  population 
in  the  valley,  it  was  decided  to  form  a  separate  church.  Because  it  was 
composed  of  people  from  four  groups,  the  religious  corporation  was 
called  the  Union  Society.  The  church  was  Congregational  until  June 
29,  1819,  when  it  united  with  the  Presbj^tery  of  Oneida. 

The  year  1820  was  marked  by  the  greatest  spiritual  activity  in  the 
first  half  century  of  the  church.  Forty-six  persons  were  added  to  the 
communicant  membership  and  the  pastor  wrote:  "These  are  the  fruits 
of  a  glorious  awakening,  which  commenced  about  the  25th  of  January." 
Another  notable  revival  came  in  1839  when  34  were  added  to  the 
church. 

Although  the  church  had  been  under  the  care  of  Presbytery  from 
1819,  it  retained  an  internal  form  of  Congregational  govern- 
ment until  April  26,  1832,  when  it  became  thoroughly  Presbyterian 
and  elected  live  elders.  The  immediate  reason  was  the  necessity  of 
handling  several  cases  of  discipline.  The  following  year  the  church 
adopted  a  rule  that  "none  shall  hereafter  be  admitted  to  membership 
with  us,  unless  they  promise  to  abstain  from  the  traffic  or  use  of  ardent 
spirits,  as  a  drink." 

Probably  the  most  distinguished  pastorate  in  the  history  of  the 
church  was  that  of  Rev.  Joseph  N.  McGiffert,  D.D.  (1857-1866). 
His  famous  son,  Arthur  Cushman  McGiffert,  long  president  of  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  was  born  in  the  Sauquoit  manse,  March  4,  1861. 

The  first  church  edifice  was  begun  in   1811  and  finished  in   1814, 

106 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

on  the  present  site.  It  was  used  until  1843,  when  the  present  house  of 
worship  was  erected.  The  centennial  of  its  dedication  will  be  observed 
next  December. 

The  church  has  been  fortunate  in  the  long  service  of  its  officiary. 
The  first  deacon  (who  became  an  elder  under  the  Presbyterian  system) 
was  Joseph  Howard,  and  he  served  nearly  40  years.  The  present  senior 
elder,  Mr.  John  D.  C.  Miller,  has  been  a  member  of  the  Session  for 
36  years.  i 

In  its  history  of  132  years,  the  church  has  been  served  by  14  min- 
isters. The  present  pastor.  Rev.  S.  Carlyle  Adams,  was  installed  in 
1940. 

THE  SOUTH  TRENTON  CHURCH 

Founded  1858 

The  ministry  of  the  South  Trenton  Church  began  in  a  rude  log 
cabin,  which  was  built  about  1800,  and  on  the  Lord's  Day  it  was  used 
for  divine  worship,  during  the  week  for  school  purposes. 

Later  a  frame  structure  was  erected  to  take  the  place  of  the  log 
cabin,  and  this  was  further  enlarged  to  accommodate  all  those  who 
desired  religious  fellowship.  At  this  period  the  pulpit  was  usually  filled 
by  missionary  preachers,  but  at  times  there  were  resident  pastors. 

In  the  year  1818  a  Sunday  school  was  organized,  and  this  continued 
with  the  regular  services  of  the  church. 

May  20,  1840  the  present  building  was  completed  and  dedicated 
to  the  worship  of  God.  At  this  time  an  agreement  was  made  between 
the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  Societies  of  South  Trenton,  that  they 
worship  in  the  same  edifice,  and  that  it  should  be  called  "The  South 
Trenton  Union  Church,"  and  this  agreement  and  name  are  still  in  force. 

It  was  on  August  11,  1858,  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  South 
Trenton  was  first  organized,  with  20  members;  and  the  first  minister 
of  the  church  was  Rev.  Daniel  C.  Tyler.  He  was  the  pastor  from 
August  1858  to  February  1860.  Sixteen  ministers  have  served  the 
church  in  a  span  of  84  years.  Although  the  present  membership  is 
smaller  than  in  the  past,  its  loyalty  and  steadfastness  is  as  strong  as 
ever. 

Rev.  Samuel  Southern  has  served  the  church  since  1935. 

107 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  TURIN  CHURCH 

Founded  1802 

The  church  was  organized  Sunday,  September  19,  1802,  and  was 
then  known  as  the  First  Congregational  Church.  Rev.  John  Taylor,  a 
missionary  from  Deerfield,  Mass.,  was  the  preacher  on  that  occasion, 
and  about  160  persons  met  to  hear  his  message  in  the  morning,  and  in 
the  afternoon  plans  for  a  permanent  church  were  made.  Judah  Barnes 
was  elected  and  ordained  to  the  office  of  deacon. 

Meetings  were  held  for  a  time  at  the  homes  of  the  members.  The 
first  regular  minister  was  Rev.  John  Murdoch,  who  served  from  1806 
to  1812.  In  1824,  the  society  voted  to  adopt  the  Presbyterian  form 
of  government  and  was  received  into  the  St.  Lawrence  Presbytery. 
In  1830,  the  church  again  became  Congregational,  but  in  1852,  at  the 
request  of  a  majority  of  the  members,  the  Presbytery  of  Watertown 
voted  to  receive  the  church  under  its  jurisdiction,  and  it  has  since  re- 
mained Presbyterian. 

The  church  building  was  erected  in  the  summer  of  1842,  and  has 
been  remodeled  several  times.  The  addition  of  the  chapel  and  kitchen 
was  made  at  the  time  of  the  centennial  in  1902. 

The  Sunday  school  was  organized  about  1822  by  Barnabas  Yale, 
who  founded  the  first  Sunday  school  in  Lewis  County  in  Martinsburg 
in  1820.  The  Women's  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  was 
organized  in  1879. 

The  church  has  been  served  by  29  pastors  throughout  its  history. 

Since  the  resignation  of  Rev.  Alfred  M.  Eells  in  January  1940,  the 
church  has  had  no  regular  minister,  but  services  have  been  continued 
with  supply  pastors  occupying  the  pulpit.  For  the  past  year  and  a  half 
Robert  W.  Odell,  a  student  at  Hamilton  College,  has  been  serving  as 
student  supply. 


108 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  FIRST  CHURCH— UTICA 

Founded  1804 

Late  in  the  eighteenth  century,  a  church  after  the  Presbyterian 
order  was  organized  in  the  village  of  Whitesboro,  N.  Y.,  and  after  a 
time,  a  certain  part  of  that  congregation  was  dismissed  to  form  a  church 
in  what  was  then  the  village  of  Fort  Schuyler,  and  is  now  the  city  of 
Utica. 

Rev.  Bethuel  Dodd  began  his  pastorate  at  Whitesboro  under  a  plan 
which  called  for  the  devoting  of  one-third  of  his  time  to  Old  Fort 
Schuyler,  but  the  plan  was  abandoned  shortly  because  of  a  lack  of  a 
suitable  place  to  meet.  When  the  schoolhouse,  located  on  Main  Street, 
was  enlarged  in  1797,  services  were  resumed,  and  Mr.  Dodd  preached 
there  with  increasing  frequency,  until  he  was  there  one  half  the  time. 
When  Trinity  Church  was  completed  in  1806,  the  two  congregations 
worshipped  alternately  in  this  edifice.  In  1803  a  deacon  and  two  elders 
were  elected  from  this  part  of  the  church.  At  an  early  date,  the  two 
parts  of  the  church  began  to  transact  their  financial  affairs  inde- 
pendently, and  the  church  was  incorporated  in  1804. 

On  February  3,  1813,  the  Presbytery  acted  to  make  "the  members 
in  and  about  Utica,  a  distinct  church,"  and  that  year  Rev.  Henry 
Dwight  was  settled  as  the  first  resident  pastor. 

In  the  year  1807,  the  First  Utica  Presbyterian  Society  had  for  its 
house  of  worship  a  building  on  the  comer  of  Liberty  and  Washington 
Streets.  This  was  occupied  for  a  number  of  years,  but  finally  was  taken 
down  and  in  its  place  a  brick  edifice  constructed.  Apparently  this 
building  was  completed  about  1827  and  was  occupied  for  24  years, 
until  it  was  consumed  by  fire  on  the  13th  day  of  January  1851.  There- 
upon the  congregation  acquired  a  site  for  a  new  church  at  the  northwest 
corner  of  Columbia  and  Washington  Streets,  and  the  building,  which 
most  of  the  present  congregation  will  recall,  was  constructed.  It  was 
dedicated  on  the  19  th  day  of  October  1852,  and  was  used  as  a  house 
of  worship  until  the  spring  of  the  year  1920.  For  about  four  years  the 
services  of  the  church  were  held  in  a  temporary  location.  The  site  of 
the  present  edifice  was  soon  acquired,  the  building  was  erected  and  was 
occupied  about  the  first  day  of  May  1924,  the  dedicatory  services  being 
held  on  May  11,  1924. 

Rev.  Harold  B.  Walker  left  the  pastorate  of  the  church  September 
1,  1942,  and  Rev.  Louis  M.  Sweet,  Ph.D.,  is  serving  as  interim  pastor. 
Rev.  Vernon  T.  Smith  is  the  assistant  minister. 

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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  BETHANY  CHURCH 

Founded  1869 

The  Bethany  Church  came  into  being  as  a  result  of  mission  Sunday 
school  work  carried  on  by  the  Westminster  Church  in  the  summer  of 
1858,  which  enterprise  was  known  as  the  East  Utica  Mission.  This 
mission  work  continued  for  eleven  years  till  1869.  That  year  a  church 
was  organized,  and  the  present  building  was  erected  and  dedicated  on 
December  9,  1869. 

There  were  60  charter  members  and  a  session  of  three  persons, 
whose  names  are  Francis  G.  Wood,  John  McK.  Brayton,  John  F.  Jones, 
all  of  whom  played  an  important  part  in  the  early  history  of  the  church. 

The  high  water  mark  of  Bethany  came  in  the  first  decade  of  this 
century,  when  there  were  219  pupils  and  25  teachers  registered  in  the 
Sunday  school,  and  a  congregation  of  about  350  persons. 

The  rapid  change  of  population,  in  more  recent  years,  has  produced 
new  problems,  but  the  members,  now  living  in  every  section  of  the  city, 
have  remained  faithful  and  loyal. 

Bethany  has  been  served  by  eleven  pastors  and  has  contributed  to 
the  ministry  two  young  men:  Rev.  G.  McGregor,  retired,  and  Rev.  C. 
Stanley  Bergner,  who  has  served  the  Congregational  Church  of  Iron- 
dequoit,  N.  Y.,  for  the  last  17  years. 

The  pastor  emeritus,  Rev.  Charles  M.  Dodge,  served  for  a  period 
of  34  years  (1900  to  1934).  Although  Mr.  Dodge  has  passed  his  82nd 
year,  he  is  still  actively  engaged  in  serving  many  churches  of  the 
Presbytery. 

Bethany  has  a  membership  of  294,  and  the  present  pastor,  Rev. 
John  Boyce,  was  installed  in  October  1941. 


THE  MORIAH  CHURCH— UTICA 

Founded  1831 

Up  till  1831,  the  Congregational  Church  of  Bethesda  on  Washington 
Street  had  served  as  the  spiritual  home  of  all  emigrants  from  Wales 
who  came  to  this  city.  By  1831,  the  Calvinistic  Methodists  from 
Bleecker  Street  had  become  venturesome  enough  to  build  a  sanctuary 

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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

of  their  own  on  Seneca  Street.  The  venture  was  signally  blessed,  and 
in  1883  the  present  sanctuary  called  Moriah  was  erected  on  the  corner 
of  Dakin  Street  and  Park  Avenue,  which  gave  the  church  an  oppor- 
tunity to  continue  its  work  in  a  more  central  part  of  the  city.  By  the 
end  of  the  first  decade  of  this  century  it  had  developed  to  be  one  of  the 
leading  Welsh  churches  of  the  country,  in  membership  and  influence. 

As  long  as  emigrants  came,  the  numerical  strength  of  the  church 
was  guaranteed,  but  when  the  quota  interfered  with  the  flow  of  new- 
comers from  the  Principality,  the  language  problem  had  to  be  faced. 
The  church  was  undoubtedly  guided  when  it  decided  in  1928  to  have 
one  of  the  Sunday  services  in  English.  This  innovation,  with  the  help 
of  a  Junior  Church  for  the  children  and  the  young  people,  has  held  the 
younger  members. 

Among  its  pastors,  one  in  particular  has  interest  for  the  American 
Presbyterian  Church  at  large.  Dr.  William  Roberts  (1877-1887) 
was  the  father  of  Dr.  W.  H.  Roberts,  a  well  known  Stated  Clerk  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  Dr.  William  Barrow  Pugh,  who  spent  his 
early  years  in  Utica,  is  connected  with  the  same  family.  Rev.  Thomas 
Foulkes,  grandfather  of  Dr.  William  Hiram  Foulkes,  was  pastor  of  the 
church  from  1847  to  1849,  and  again  June  1852  to  1855.  He  was  a 
popular  preacher  and  successful  pastor. 

The  name  of  the  late  Mr.  Solomon  Griffith,  an  elder  of  this  church, 
should  also  be  mentioned  as  typical  of  the  fine  group  of  elders  that  have 
served  throughout  the  years.  His  wisdom,  and  especially  his  readiness 
to  help  emigrants  arriving  in  the  city,  will  be  long  remembered. 

The  contributions  have  been  extremely  liberal  and  alterations  on 
the  church  property  in  recent  years,  which  involved  an  expense  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  have  been  paid  for  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
thousands.  One  characteristic  in  this  connection  is  the  Year  Book,  in 
which  appears  the  names  of  all  members  with  the  amount  of  their 
contributions  for  the  preceding  year  toward  current  expenses  and 
benevolences. 

The  various  women's  societies  have  been  active  and  have  raised 
considerable  funds  to  help  missionary  enterprise  at  home  and  abroad, 
and  to  meet  local  obligations.  For  a  number  of  years  the  Men's  Club 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  in  the  city. 

As  in  the  case  of  most  Welsh  churches,  the  congregational  singing  is 
outstanding. 

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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

During  its  112  years  of  history  the  church  has  been  served  by  12 
pastors.  The  membership  at  present  is  585  communicants,  and  the 
present  pastor,  Rev.  R.  R.  Williams,  has  served  since  1931. 

THE  OLIVET  CHURCH— UTICA 

Founded  1887 

Olivet  Presbyterian  Church  had  its  origin  in  a  mission  Sunday 
school  established  in  1876  by  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  to 
serve  the  needs  of  families  in  the  uptown  area.  The  need  for  a  church 
organization  soon  became  apparent  and  the  church  was  organized  on 
January  28,  1887.  The  Session  of  Westminster  Church  concluded  to 
call  Rev.  Frank  W.  Townsend  as  the  first  pastor.  The  Presbytery  of 
Utica  constituted  the  church,  ordained  the  elders  and  installed  the 
pastor  April  26,  1887.  Forty-five  persons  were  on  the  rolls  as  charter 
members. 

The  first  church  building,  a  small  wooden  structure  located  at  what 
is  now  1403  Miller  Street,  soon  became  inadequate,  and  the  trustees 
took  the  deed  for  the  present  site,  now  1307-09  Howard  Avenue,  on 
August  18,  1887.  The  cornerstone  of  the  present  structure  was  laid 
on  September  15,  1889,  and  the  church  was  formally  dedicated  on 
April  12,  1891,  The  church  structure  and  lots  cost  approximately 
$25,000.  The  church  is  built  of  Clinton  limestone  with  trimmings  of 
Oxford  bluestone.  Westminster  Church  assisted  the  church  in  a 
financial  way  in  the  early  days,  but  after  the  dedication  of  the  building 
the  church  became  self-supporting.  The  four  mortgages  proved  a 
heavy  burden,  but  the  congregation  bravely  faced  many  discourage- 
ments. The  four  mortgages  were  burned  on  August  5,  1909,  during 
the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Dean. 

The  John  P.  Williams  memorial  organ  was  installed  during  the 
summer  of  1941,  a  three- manual  organ  with  echo  organ  and  chimes, 
given  by  Mrs.  Williams  in  memory  of  her  husband.  The  chancel  was 
enlarged  and  reconstructed.  The  wings  of  the  massive  original  pulpit 
were  used  for  the  construction  of  a  lectern  so  that  on  the  present  chancel 
the  lectern  and  pulpit  comprise  the  materials  of  the  original  pulpit. 

In  its  history  of  66  years  the  church  has  been  served  by  eight  min- 
isters in  all.  The  longest  pastorate  was  that  of  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Dean, 
D.D.,  who  served  thirteen  years  (1901-1914).  Rev.  W.  Arden  Coe, 
the  present  pastor,  was  installed  in  1938. 

The  church  is  located  in  a  thickly  populated  section  of  the  city, 
and  ministers  to  some  700  souls  through  its  many  organizations. 

112 


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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  SAYRE  MEMORIAL  CHURCH— UTICA 

Founded  1868 

Previous  to  the  founding  of  Sayre  Memorial  Church — a  Sunday 
school  had  been  active  from  1848.  This  school  was  manned  by  teachers 
from  First  Church,  and  changed  its  location  a  number  of  times,  finally 
moving  to  the  Court  Street  location,  where  the  church  now  stands. 

Mr.  Theodore  S.  Sayre,  whose  name  the  church  bears,  was  for  long- 
years  associated  with  the  Sunday  school  period.  A  chapel  was  built 
on  the  Court  Street  site,  and  Rev.  P.  H.  Fowler,  the  able  and  influential 
pastor  of  First  Church,  preached  the  chapel  dedication  sermon. 

A  church  was  organized  in  1868  called  the  West  Utica  Presbyterian 
Church.  Thirty  members  of  the  parent  church  petitioned  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Utica  "to  constitute  them  the  founders  of  a  separate  church." 

Mr.  T.  S.  Sayre  was  one  of  the  first  elders.  He  served  from  1873 
to  1916.  Another  outstanding  elder  was  Mr.  George  L.  Curran,  serving 
from  1878  to  1925,  the  year  of  his  death. 

In  1877  Rev.  Dana  W.  Bigelow  became  minister  and  served  for 
over  40  years  until  his  death  in  1916. 

In  1879  the  Women's  Missionary  Society  was  organized,  and  has 
been  active  up  to  the  present  time. 

The  present  building  was  erected  in  1882. 

The  beautiful  memorial  windows  in  this  church  are  the  gift  of  the 
Sayre  family. 

Among  other  splendid  gifts  of  the  church  are  the  Jones'  Memorial 
Cathedral  Chimes,  donated  by  Charles  L.  Jones  in  memory  of  Mrs. 
Minnie  Jones  and  Burton  W.  Jones,  and  the  Somers  Memorial  Tower 
Chimes,  donated  by  Mrs.  Isabelle  Somers  in  memory  of  Johnston  G. 
Somers  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Maus. 

During  its  74  years  of  history,  the  Sayre  Church  has  been  served 
by  eight  ministers.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Harry  Bonner,  has  served 
since  1937  to  a  membership  of  169  persons. 


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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  WESTMINSTER  CHURCH— UTICA 

Founded  1843 

In  September  1843,  Rev.  J.  H.  Mcllvane  of  the  Presbytery  of 
Albany  came  to  this  city  with  a  view  to  the  establishing  of  a  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  connection  with  the  Old  School  General  Assembly. 
He  hired  the  building  known  as  the  Bleecker  Street  Church  and  com- 
menced to  preach  regularly  on  the  Sabbath.  Although  meeting  with 
much  opposition,  he  was  encouraged  to  believe  that  this  enterprise  was 
of  God  and  that  He  would  bless  it  and  enable  him  to  found  here  a 
church,  Protestant  in  form,  catholic  in  principle,  united  and  energetic 
in  action. 

The  services  thus  begun  in  September  1843,  were  regularly  con- 
tinued with  increasing  success  until  July  23,  1844,  when  "The  West- 
minster Presbyterian  Society  of  Utica"  was  formally  organized  with 
61  members  and  Rev.  Mr.  Mcllvane  as  pastor. 

Soon  after  this,  the  church  building  owned  by  the  Universalist 
Societ}'  on  Devereux  Street  was  purchased  and  immediately  occupied 
by  this  new  church  and  congregation. 

On  September  3,  1847,  Rev.  Mr.  Mcllvane  resigned  as  pastor,  and 
was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  S.  Dickson  on  August  1,  1848.  The  following 
year  the  church  building  was  improved  and  enlarged,  but  a  few  years 
later  it  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire.  The  Court  House  was  tem- 
porarily occupied  for  Sabbath  and  other  services  until  completion  of 
the  present  church  edifice  on  Washington  Street  in  1855. 

In  June  1858,  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Campbell  was  elected  the  third 
pastor,  with  a  church  membership  of  about  230.  Under  Rev.  Camp- 
bell's pastorate  a  building  was  provided  on  Francis  Street  for  the  Olivet 
Mission  School,  and  a  mission  school  was  established  in  East  Utica. 
Rev.  Mr.  Campbell  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Dr.  Fisher,  who  resigned 
the  presidency  of  Hamilton  College  to  accept  a  call  to  the  pastorate 
on  June  11,  1866.  Before  Dr.  Fisher  accepted  the  call,  Westminster 
acceded  to  his  request  to  change  its  connection  from  the  Old  School  to 
the  New  School  General  Assembly. 

Dr.  Fisher  later  was  outstanding  in  effecting  organic  union  of  the 
Old  and  New  Schools.  Under  Dr.  Fisher,  a  new  parsonage  was  pur- 
chased on  Rutger  Street,  the  chapel  building  previously  erected  by 
E.  M.  Gilbert,  was  donated  and  deeded  to  the  church;  the  mission 
enterprise  in  East  Utica  was  organized  into  Bethany  Church,  and  the 

114 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

Fisher  Missionary  Society  was  organized  (1870).  Dr.  Fisher  was 
stricken  ill  in  1870.  Rev.  Thomas  J.  Brown  assumed  the  duties  of 
pastor  with  365  members  on  April  30,  1871. 

The  church  prospered  in  all  its  departments.  The  Woman's  Mis- 
sionary Society  was  organized  (1881),  and  the  Chevaliers  were  or- 
ganized (1898). 

Dr.  Brown's  pastorate  terminated  with  his  death  in  1904.  Rev. 
I.  N.  Terry,  assistant  to  Dr.  Brown,  was  installed  as  pastor  and  carried 
on  the  work  of  his  predecessors  until  his  untimely  death  in  1908. 

Rev.  J.  Howard  Hobbs  succeeded  Rev.  Terry,  and  the  churck 
continued  to  progress  during  his  pastorate,  which  ended  by  resignatioa 
in  1920.  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Dean  obtained  a  leave  of  absence  from  the 
Synodical  Board  in  order  to  serve  as  regular  supply  pastor. 

Rev.  R.  S.  Snyder,  D.D.,  took  up  the  duties  of  pastor  on  September 
1,  1921,  and  continues  to  serve  the  church  at  the  present  time.  During 
Mr.  Snyder's  pastorate,  the  Westminster  Church  House  was  built,  a 
Director  of  Religious  Education  was  employed,  the  Woman's  Auxiliary 
was  organized  (1922),  the  Phi  Upsilon  was  organized,  the  Westmixers 
were  organized  (1941),  and  the  membership  of  the  church  increased 
to  the  present  total  of  996. 

THE  VERNON  CENTER  CHURCH 

Founded  1801 

The  first  settlers  of  Vernon  Center  were  from  Winchester,  Cona. 
In  1796  they  associated  together  and  formed  a  colony.  The  first 
religious  Sunday  service  ever  held  in  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Vernon 
(saying  nothing  of  the  labors  of  missionaries  among  the  Indians)  was 
held  on  the  second  Sabbath  in  April  1799,  in  a  small  log  house.  The 
first  sermon  preached  was  in  the  fall  of  that  year  by  Dominie  Kirkland, 
missionary  to  the  Indians.  A  blacksmith  shop  had  an  outside  stairway 
leading  to  an  upper  room  and  the  top  stair  served  as  a  pulpit,  while 
the  audience  was  seated  on  stumps  in  front. 

The  first  church  was  formed  in  1801  with  14  members.  Previous  to 
this,  the  first  settlers  gathered  their  families  around  their  home  altars, 
but  on  Sundays,  the  families  for  miles  around  would  come,  as  many  as 
could,  to  the  appointed  place  for  praise  and  prayer. 

On  July  8,  1802,  a  number  of  inhabitants  of  the  town  of  Vernon 

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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

met  together  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  in  a  church  covenant.  Seven- 
teen persons  gave  their  assent  to  the  "Confession  of  Faith  and  articles 
of  admission  and  discipline." 

Rev.  John  Spencer  officiated  at  the  first  communion  service  on 
July  11,  1802. 

The  form  of  government  was  Congregational  and  the  church  was 
affiliated  with  the  Congregational  Association  of  Oneida. 

December  21,  1812  it  was  voted  that  the  pew  ground  be  sold  to  the 
highest  bidder  for  the  purpose  of  raising  money  to  defray  the  expense 
for  completing  the  meeting  house.  In  May  1838,  it  was  decided  to 
build  a  new  meeting  house  if  the  sum  of  $2,500  could  be  raised.  The 
following  year,  the  new  church  was  built  on  the  present  site.  A  church 
organ  was  purchased  for  $400,  which  is  still  usable. 

In  1858  the  parsonage  was  purchased  for  $1,000,  and  in  1868-69 
the  lecture  room  was  built  and  furnaces  installed.  The  church  was 
entirely  remodeled  in  1885  at  a  cost  of  $4,000.  In  1937  a  slate  roof 
was  added  and  the  interior  redecorated,  making  it  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  attractive  of  the  country  churches. 

By  1811  the  church  had  voted  unanimously  to  adopt  the  Pres- 
byterian System.  However,  in  1837  it  became  Congregational  again, 
and  not  until  1851,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Royal  Avery,  was  the 
final  transfer  made  to  the  Presbyterian  form  of  government. 

The  first  regular  pastor.  Rev.  John  Smith,  was  called  November 
10,  1810,  at  the  munificent  salary  of  $300  payable  semi-annually. 

Thirty-one  pastors  and  stated  supplies  have  served  the  church,  the 
longest  pastorate  being  that  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Bonney,  September  1855  to 
November  1872.  About  130  persons  joined  the  church  during  his 
pastorate. 

Others  whose  work  was  outstanding  were  Rev.  E.  C.  Ray,  Rev. 
Stanley  B.  Roberts,  Rev.  D.  I.  Bigger,  Rev.  Charles  M.  Dodge  and 
Rev.  Frank  West. 

From  this  church  have  gone  forth  more  than  30  ministers  of  the 
Christian  gospel,  among  them  Rev.  John  C.  Ball,  a  former  pastor  of 
Olivet  Church,  Utica,  and  Rev.  Clarence  Mason,  who  has  but  recently 
rounded  out  25  years'  work  as  "Sky  Pilot"  to  the  men  of  the  lumber 
camps  in  the  Adirondacks. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  John  M.  MacQuarrie,  is  serving  his  sixth 
year,  and  is  also  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Augusta. 

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Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  MT.  VERNON  CHURCH— VERNON 

Founded  1805 

The  Mt.  Vernon  Presbyterian  Society  was  organized  in  1805.  The 
first  annual  meeting  was  held  in  1806,  when  two  trustees  were  elected. 

In  1807  the  congregation  raised  money  to  secure  a  preacher  every 
other  Sunday,  and  in  1811  Rev.  Calvin  Bushnell  was  called  as  pastor 
over  the  Mt.  Vernon  and  Vernon  Center  churches.  In  this  same  year 
(1811)  the  Presbyterian  form  of  Church  Government  was  adopted. 
The  Presbytery  met  at  Vernon  to  receive  the  church  into  its  mem- 
bership. 

B}^  1815  the  trustees  reported  that  $5,000  had  been  raised  to  build 
a  church,  and  the  church  was  built  in  that  same  year.  A  church  bell 
costing  $400  was  purchased  and  transported  by  sleigh  from  Hartford, 
Conn.,  at  a  cost  of  $40. 

Rev.  Calvin  Bushnell  was  made  full-time  pastor  in  1817  at  a  salary 
of  $600  per  year.  His  pastorate  lasted  18  years,  the  longest  pastorate 
in  the  history  of  the  church. 

Mr.  Bushnell  was  a  commissioner  to  the  General  Assembly  (1818) 
and  moderator  of  the  Presbytery  in  1813. 

A  manse  was  built  in  1868  at  a  cost  of  $2,900. 

The  church  was  rebuilt  in  1877,  but  the  old  organ  was  retained  in 
the  reconstructed  church.  This  took  place  together  with  a  rededication 
service  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  E.  H.  Payson. 

An  active  Sunday  school  and  Christian  Endeavor  Society  figured 
greatly  in  the  training  of  the  youth  for  Christian  service.  In  1927  an 
organization  called  "Alumni  Council  of  Christian  Endeavor"  was 
formed  and  is  active  now  in  the  life  of  the  church.  Also  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Society  and  a  Woman's  Guild  are  very  active. 

The  Klock  Memorial  Chapel  (Mill  St.)  built  in  1832,  was  re- 
modeled in  1871  and  again  in  1927,  and  donated  to  the  church  by  the 
Klock  family. 

Four  young  men  have  gone  into  the  ministry  from  the  church — 
Rev.  Wallace  Williams,  Rev.  John  Tompkins,  Rev.  F.  D.  Walters  and 
Rev.  William  Hydon. 

117 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

The  church  has  been  served  by  36  ministers  during  its  137  years 
of  history. 

In  March  1942,  Rev.  Francis  Doerschug,  after  serving  the  church 
three  years,  resigned  to  become  a  chaplain  in  the  U.  S.  Navy. 


THE  VERONA  CHURCH 

Founded  1803 

The  Verona  Church  came  into  being  as  a  result  of  the  labors  of  Peter 
Fish,  a  Presbyterian  missionary,  and  Timothy  M.  Cooley,  a  Congrega- 
tional missionary,  and  was  organized  on  August  7,  1803.  In  the  year 
1830  a  second  Congregational  Society  was  organized  by  Luther  M3a-ick. 
These  two  societies  united  in  1837  to  form  a  strong  Congregational 
church.  This  body  continued  until  1881,  when  it  joined  the  Pres- 
byterian system. 

These  facts  are  from  the  history  compiled  by  Elder  J.  W.  Dodge 
and  completed  by  his  son.  Elder  Bert  J.  Dodge,  following  his  father's 
death  in  1896.  In  this  history  published  in  1900,  Mr.  Dodge  wrote: 
"It  is  with  the  double  desire  to  complete  the  unfinished  work  of  my 
father  and  the  hope  that  this  information  may  inspire  others  to  follow 
in  the  steps  of  the  godly  men  and  women  of  the  century  just  closing, 
who  have  made  the  early  years  of  our  church  what  they  have  been,  that 
I  publish  this  history." 

The  influence  of  the  church  in  the  civic  life  of  the  community  is 
noteworthy.  Many  of  its  members  have  held  positions  of  trust  and 
responsibility,  not  only  in  the  village,  but  in  the  township  and  county 
as  well. 

Thirty-one  pastors  have  served  with  varying  success.  Among  the 
many  who  went  from  the  home  church  to  serve  are:  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Hawley,  Ph.D.,  of  Atkinson,  Kansas,  and  Rev.  Willard  P.  Soper,  D.D., 
of  Pelham  Manor,  N.  Y. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  162  persons.  Rev.  Thomas 
Glenn  Cannen  has  served  the  congregation  since  November  1940. 

118 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  WATERVILLE  CHURCH 

Founded  1823 

On  May  19,  1823,  twenty  men  met  under  the  authority  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Oneida  to  form  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Waterville. 

The  church  has  had  three  edifices  of  its  own,  two  wooden  frame 
structures  and  the  present  brick  church  on  Main  Street. 

After  the  twenty  men  had  established  the  church  organization,  they 
must  have  foreseen  the  place  that  women  would  later  win,  for  they 
received  their  wives  and  other  women  into  membership  very  shortly 
thereafter. 

The  church  was  originally  built  on  the  village  green  where  The  New 
Brunswick  now  stands.  This  served  as  the  meeting  house  from  1824- 
1843,  when  it  was  replaced  by  a  larger  building  made  of  wood  on  the 
present  site.  The  present  building  was  erected  and  dedicated  in  1873 
free  of  debt.  It  is  worth  noting  that  these  years  must  have  been  ex- 
tremely uncertain  years,  coming  after  the  Civil  War.  What  with  bank 
failures  and  great  financial  chaos,  our  fathers  must  have  had  faith  and 
vision.  Although  the  people  rapidly  raised  the  needed  funds  and 
generously  gave,  they  firmly  expressed  the  Scriptural  belief  that  their 
labor  was  in  vain  unless  the  Lord  be  the  true  builder  of  the  church. 

The  church  has  been  well  cared  for  by  good  ministers  and  by  con- 
secrated laymen  through  the  years,  and  shows  that  it  has  been  well 
supported  in  respect  to  both  things  physical  and  things  spiritual.  Seven 
young  men  have  gone  from  this  church  into  the  Christian  ministry,  and 
sound  Bible  training  has  always  been  provided  in  the  church  school 
and  youth  activities.  The  Women's  Missionary  Society  has  an  old 
and  honored  tradition  in  its  own  right. 

A  lovely  cross  for  the  Communion  table  has  been  dedicated  re- 
cently in  memory  of  one  of  the  members  held  in  the  highest  regard. 
In  a  war  year,  the  church  has  carried  on  with  a  strong  men's  club 
and  two  youth  groups.  It  is  trusted  that  the  power  of  Christ,  sym- 
bolized by  this  new  cross,  will  dominate  the  people  in  the  days  to  come, 
that  they  ma}^  not  only  mark  an  advancement  in  age,  but  with  the 
passing  of  years  find  themselves  supporting  and  supported  by  Jesus 
Christ. 

119 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

This  church  has  benefited  by  the  generosity  of  many  now  passed 
on,  and  who  have  left  a  precious  heritage. 

Over  a  period  of  129  years,  the  church  has  been  served  by  2 1  pastors. 

The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Grant  S.  Miller,  was  installed  in  1943. 


THE  WESTDALE  CHURCH 

Founded  1851 

The  First  Incorporated  Religious  Society  of  West  Camden  was 
organized  at  a  meeting  in  the  school  house  on  November  26,  1851. 
On  November  5th,  a  Congregational  church  was  organized  with  the 
help  of  the  Presbytery  of  Oswego.    There  were  16  charter  members. 

For  seven  years,  meetings  were  held  in  the  school  house. 

In  1851  a  church  building  was  erected  costing  $1,000.     The  site        I 
was  donated  and  labor  contributed.     Few  changes  have  been  made;  a 
basement  in  1903,  a  furnace  to  replace  stoves  was  installed. 

Rev.  Samuel  Sweezy,  the  first  pastor  and  a  member  of  Oswego 
Presbytery,  served  for  three  years.  During  the  seventies  the  church 
was  served  by  the  Camden  pastor.  The  last  decade  of  the  century  the 
pastor  of  Williamstown  also  served  the  Westdale  church. 

In  1880  the  church  adopted  the  Presbyterian  system,  and  Rev.  C. 
H.  Van  Wie  was  installed  as  the  first  pastor.  Mr.  Van  Wie  just  re- 
cently passed  away  in  California  at  the  age  of  ninety.  The  church 
had  a  number  of  supplies  in  the  nineties,  among  whom  was  Rev.  Charles 
M.  Dodge,  still  active  in  Utica  Presbytery. 

Rev.  E.  E.  Grosh  was  the  second  installed  pastor,  serving  eight  years. 

In  1880  a  Ladies  Aid  Society  was  organized,  and  in  1888  a 
Y.P.S.C.E.  was  organized  and  held  meetings  continuously  until  1939, 
when  it  was  dissolved  to  form  now  a  Community  Society. 

In  July  1942,  a  federation  with  the  Methodist  Church  was  con- 
summated to  the  satisfaction  of  both  churches.  The  church  has  during 
its  history  been  served  by  22  ministers  and  supply  preachers.  The 
present  pastor.  Rev.  Stanley  E.  Skinner,  began  his  service  in  1942. 

120 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  WESTERNVILLE  CHURCH 

Founded  1818 

In  1789  the  first  white  settlers  came  up  the  Mohawk  Valley  and 
began  the  settlement  of  the  present  town  of  Western.  By  1810  the 
population  had  increased  to  practically  its  present  population.  In 
October  of  that  year  the  friends  of  religion  met  and  planned  for  the 
erection  of  a  house  of  God.  As  a  result  the  amounts  credited  each 
society  were  Methodists,  $445;  Baptists,  $687,  and  Presbyterians, 
$1,043,  making  a  total  of  $2,175.  Prior  to  the  erection  of  the  church 
in  1818,  the  Presbyterians  had  purchased  the  interest  of  the  Methodists 
and  Baptists,  and  the  First  Presbyterian  Society  was  organized  January 
15,  1818,  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  composed  of  the  following 
members:  Rev.  John  Dunlop,  a  missionary  who  was  supplying  the 
church  at  the  time;  Rev.  Moses  Gillette,  Rome;  Rev.  Henry  Smith, 
Camden;  George  Huntington  and  Elijah  Woolington,  of  Rome  Pres- 
byterian Church;  and  Phineas  Tu thill,  Camden.  Rev.  John  Dunlop 
preached  the  dedicatory  sermon  from  I  Kings  8:13-27. 

The  membership  was  composed  of  fifteen,  with  an  added  list  of 
fourteen,  making  a  total  membership  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of 
twenty-nine. 

The  Sunday  school  was  organized  in  May  1825. 

The  building,  which  was  used  as  a  Union  Church  until  1833,  was 
erected  in  1817  and  1818,  and  was  completed  according  to  specifications 
at  a  cost  of  $2,060.  In  1874  the  church  was  reroofed,  the  interior 
changed,  and  two  furnaces  installed.  The  session  room  was  built 
about  1892. 

During  the  life  of  the  church  we  have  had  thirty-three  elders.  Of 
this  number  seventeen  have  died  while  acting  as  elders.  The  present 
session  is  composed  of  eight  members. 

The  government  has  been  Presbyterian  since  its  beginning.  The 
church  was  formerly  connected  with  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida,  but  is 
now  with  the  Presbytery  of  Utica. 

The  membership  at  the  present  time  is  about  122,  which  is  some- 
what better  than  the  average  for  the  life  of  the  church. 

During  its  history  of  124  years,  the  church  has  been  served  by 
pastors  and  supplies  to  the  number  of  thirty. 

Rev.  David  C.  Davies  has  served  since  1942. 

121 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  WHITESBORO   CHURCH 

Founded  1786 

In  1786,  two  years  after  the  settlement  of  Whitestown  by  Hugh 
White,  there  was  a  congregation  meeting  for  worship.  Evidently  this 
congregation  was  informal  and  did  not  meet  regularly.  In  1791  the 
Presbytery  of  Albany  reported  that  the  congregation  had  applied  for 
a  supply  of  preachers,  and  Rev.  John  Lindsey  was  appointed  for 
Whitestov/n  on  the  4th  and  5th  Lord's  Days  in  September. 

On  April  1,  1793,  a  meeting  was  held  to  effect  a  permanent  church 
organization,  and  a  committee  of  eight  was  appointed  to  draft  a  con- 
stitution. The  committee  probably  fulfilled  its  duty,  but  there  is  no 
record  of  its  report.  The  original  name  of  the  church,  "The  United 
Society  of  WTiitestown,"  suggests  that  the  denominational  affiliations 
had  not  been  settled  when  the  organization  was  completed.  Tradition 
has  preserved  the  advice  of  Hugh  White ;  that  they  call  some  good  man 
and  let  him  bring  his  convictions  with  him. 

In  July  of  that  year,  Rev.  Ruhamah  Robbins,  a  Congregational 
missionary,  failed  to  organize  a  church  in  Whitesboro,  but  on  the  17th 
of  August,  Rev.  Samuel  Ells,  another  Congregational  missionary,  re- 
ported that  he  ''formed  a  church  at  Whitestown." 

In  January  1794,  Bethuel  Dodd,  a  licentiate  of  the  Presbytery 
of  New  York,  preached  at  Whitesboro  under  appointment  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Albany,  and  the  next  month  "Commissioners  from  the  church 
at  Whitestown  presented  a  petition"  to  the  Presbytery  of  Albany 
"requesting  that  the  congregation  in  that  town  might  be  taken  under 
the  care  and  inspection  of  the  Presbytery";  and  the  request  was 
granted.  This  action  was  evidently  the  result  of  the  desire  to  have  the 
pastoral  services  of  Mr.  Dodd,  who  accepted  the  call  of  the  Whitesboro 
church  in  preference  to  one  from  Schenectady,  and  he  was  ordained  and 
installed  August  21,  1794,  under  a  bower  on  the  village  green. 

Church  services  were  held  in  the  school  house  until  a  church  edifice 
was  erected  in  1804.  This  frame  building  was  replaced  by  the  present 
brick  structure  in  1834. 

The  first  instruction  of  children  was  carried  on  by  Mr.  Dodd  on 
Sundays,  during  the  interval  between  the  morning  and  afternoon 
services,  and  the  Sunday  school  was  organized  during  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  John  Frost,  probably  late  in  1813  or  early  in   1814.     Reference 

122 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

is  found  to  it  in  the  diary  of  Rev.  John  Frost  as  existing  in  February 
1814.  It  may  well  have  been  the  earliest  Sunday  school  in  Oneida 
County. 

The  Whitesboro  church  is  the  mother  of  Presbyterianism  in  the 
upper  Mohawk  Valley,  not  only  in  virtue  of  being  the  first  Pres- 
byterian Church  organized  there,  but  bj^  the  fact  that  three  churches 
have  been  set  off  from  her  membership:  First  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Utica  in  1813;  the  church  in  New  York  Mills  in  1830,  and  that  at 
Oiskany  in  1834.  In  1837  a  group  of  about  70  withdrew  to  form  a 
Congregational  church  under  the  leadership  of  Rev.  Beriah  Green, 
being  dissatisfied  with  the  refusal  of  the  church  to  take  an  extreme 
stand  on  the  question  of  the  abolition  of  slavery. 

The  church  has  had  14  pastors  in  its  lifetime,  and  nine  stated 
supplies  have  served  for  terms  varying  from  one  to  twelve  years.  The 
longest  pastorate  was  that  of  Rev.  John  Frost,  third  pastor,  who  served 
for  20  years.  He  was  famed  as  the  founder  of  the  first  local  missionary 
society  in  America,  organized  by  him  in  Boston  while  serving  as  agent 
of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions.  This 
work  being  interrupted  by  the  War  of  1812,  he  accepted  a  call  to 
Whitesboro,  where  he  was  an  enthusiastic  leader  in  the  great  revivals 
of  the  1820's.  Rev.  J.  B.  Hubbard  served  16  years,  and  Rev.  Charles 
F.  Kittredge  for  15  }^ears.  The  present  pastor,  Rev.  Herbert  N.  Baird, 
b^an  his  work  in  1928.  Rev.  James  Carnahan,  second  pastor  of  the 
church,  later  became  president  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  now 
Princeton  University. 

The  church  enjoys  the  honor  of  having  been  host  to  the  organization 
meetings  of  both  the  Presbytery  of  Oneida  in  1802,  and  the  Presbytery 
of  Utica  in  1843. 


THE  WILLIAMSTOWN  CHURCH 

Founded  1810 

From  church  records  dated  December  2,  1810,  several  subscribers 
voted  to  unite  under  Rev.  William  Stone  to  organize  a  Congregational 
church. 

On  January  13,  1817,  the  members  of  the  Congregational  Church 
by  unanimous  vote  relinquished  the  Congregational  form  and  adopted 
the  Presbyterian  form  of  government.  Rev.  John  Dunlap  was  the 
presiding  minister. 

123 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

On  March  10,  1817,  it  was  voted  to  incorporate  as  a  religious  society 
under  an  act  of  March  27,  1801,  and  to  be  known  as  The  First  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Williamstown,  N.  Y. 

Church  services  were  held  for  some  time  in  a  building  owned  by 
Dr.  Torbit,  which  stood  near  the  present  entrance  to  the  village 
cemetery. 

A  deed  of  August  13,  1828  was  executed  by  Elisha  Tibbets  to  the 
trustees  of  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  Society  of  Williamstown, 

N.  Y. 

It  was  voted  that  a  committee  of  four  be  chosen  to  act  with  the 
trustees,  Abijah  Towsley,  John  Onderdonk  and  Joseph  Hall. 

Among  the  early  church  members  were  Solomon  Goodwin,  Anna 
Goodwin,  Clymene  Comstock,  Elizabeth  Lyon,  Polly  Spencer,  John 
and  Maria  Onderdonk,  Daniel  and  Mary  Harris,  these  last  four  named 
were  grandparents  of  Elmer  N.  Harris. 

It  is  believed  that  the  church  came  under  the  care  of  Utica  Pres- 
bytery in  January  1871,  and  at  this  time  a  manse  had  been  built. 

The  church  records  show  ministers  serving  this  church  were  Rev. 
John  Dunlap,  1817-1821;  Rev.  Henry  Smith,  1821;  Rev.  John  Alex- 
ander, 1822-1823;  Rev.  Enos  Bliss,  1825. 

Rev.  Samuel  Sweezy,  pastor  of  Florence  church,  served  as  moderator 
of  session  meetings  part  time  between  1826  and  1853.  Records  do  not 
state  whether  he  was  minister  of  this  church  any  during  this  period. 

Rev.  George  Freeman  and  Rev.  David  R.  Dixon  were  moderators 
of  session  meetings  in  1828. 

In  1855  there  was  a  Ladies  Aid  Society,  and  this  carried  on  from 
then.  Early  Sunday  school  records  were  not  found,  but  as  long  as  the 
writer  has  known,  there  has  been  Sunday  school  whenever  there  was 
church  service. 

Evidently  the  early  church  records  were  not  always  kept  regarding 
the  ministers,  whether  there  were  pastors  or  supply  ministers. 

A  federation  of  this  local  church  with  the  Methodist  church  for 
services  was  begun  July  1,  1942,  and  Rev.  Stanley  Skinner,  Methodist 
minister  here,  was  named  stated  supply  for  the  Presbyterians,  with 
services  conducted  part  time  in  each  church. 

Over  a  period  of  132  years,  about  27  ministers  have  served  the 
church. 

124 


Churches  of  Utica  Presbytery 

THE  YORKVILLE  CHURCH 

Founded  1917 

About  the  year  of  1902,  Solomon  Hoxie,  a  resident  of  the  village, 
organized  a  Sunday  school  in  this  neighborhood.  The  meetings  were 
first  held  in  the  original  one-story  building  located  on  the  corner  of 
what  is  now  known  as  Bunker  Corners.  Prayer  meetings  were  held 
in  the  homes,  and  the  number  of  people  attending  gradually  increased. 
After  Mr.  Hoxie's  passing,  this  work  was  carried  on  by  Hannibal  Gray 
and  his  daughters.  Alma  and  Emma;  also  by  Mrs.  J.  W.  Hayes,  Miss 
Bertha  Hall,  Robert  Cooper,  and  Mrs.  Morris  Copeland.  Through 
their  efforts  and  that  of  many  other  loyal  friends,  the  movement  ad- 
vanced and  grew.  A  two-story  school  building  was  eventually  built, 
and  in  this  on  Sunday  afternoons,  the  services  of  worship  continued. 
Ministers  from  the  surrounding  villages  did  the  preaching. 

In  1910  money  was  raised  by  a  band  of  little  girls  called  the  "Junior 
Aid  Society."  This  society  was  made  up  of  the  daughters  and  friends 
of  the  Ladies  Aid  Society,  which  had  been  organized  earlier  and  is  at 
present  a  strong  thriving  society. 

In  the  year  of  1916  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  church  building.  In 
that  same  year  the  cornerstone  of  the  building  was  laid  with  appropriate 
ceremonies.  When  the  structure  was  completed  the  first  organizational 
meeting  was  held  on  October  29,  1917.  At  this  meeting  Rev.  Harold 
Hobbs  of  Westminster  Church  presided.  Other  participating  ministers 
were  Rev.  Willard  Soper,  moderator  of  the  Presbytery  and  pastor  of 
Stone  Church,  Clinton,  and  Rev.  A.  DeGrott  Vogler.  Also  present 
were  the  following  members  of  the  Synodical  Home  Missions  Depart- 
ment: Rev.  Calvin  French,  pastor  of  the  Ilion  Church;  Dewitt  Hurd, 
elder  of  Westminster  Church;  Austin  G.  Warner,  elder  of  the  Whites- 
boro  Church,  and  Dr.  Philip  H.  Cole,  of  First  Church,  Rome. 

Twenty-eight  members  were  received  by  letter  from  other  churches 
and  thirty-one  joined  upon  confession  of  faith. 

The  church  was  served  by  stated  supply  preachers  for  a  time,  among 
whom  were  Prof.  William  H.  Squires  of  Hamilton  College;  Mr.  Ernest 
Griffith,  a  student  at  Hamilton,  and  Rev.  William  M.  Yard. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  William  Parker,  who  served  from  1903 
to  1928.  Following  him  as  pastor  was  Rev.  E.  J.  Kallina,  who  served 
from  1928  to  1942.  Since  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Kallina,  Rev.  Charles 
Dodge,  pastor  emeritus  of  Bethany  Church,  has  been  occupying  the 
pulpit.    The  present  membership  of  the  church  consists  of  107  persons. 

125 


Centennial 

of 

The  Presbytery  of  Utica 


1^ 


WORSHIP   SERVICE 

Sunday,  April  11,  1943  —  8  P.M. 

First  Presbyterian  Church 
Utica,  New  York 


^ 


SPRING   iMEETING 

Tuesday,  April  13,  1943  —  9:30  A.M. 

First  Presbyterian  Church 
Whitesboro,  New  York 


^ 


HISTORICAL  PAGEANT 

Tuesday,  April  13,  1943  —  8:00  P.M. 

Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  House 
Utica,  New  York 


126 


SERVICE  OF  WORSHIP 

Sunday,  April  11,  1943  —  8  P.M. 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Utica,  New  York 


Organ  Prelude:  "Prelude  and  Fugue  in  F  Minor"  Handel 

♦Processional  Hymn  No.  414 — "God  of  Our  Fathers" 

*The  Call  to  Worship 

The  Invocation — The  Rev.  Louis  M.  Sweet,  Ph.D. 
Minister-ad-interim,  First  Chvtrch 

The  Petitions  (said  responsively) : 

Minister:  Create  in  us  a  clean  heart,  O  God: 

People:  And  renew  a  right  spirit  within  us. 

Minister:  Cast  us  not  away  from  Thy  presence: 

People:  And  take  not  Thy  Holy  Spirit  from  us. 

Minister:  Restore  unto  us  the  joy  of  Thy  salvation: 

People:  And  uphold  us  with  Thy  free  Spirit. 

Minister:  O  Lord,  open  Thou  our  lips: 

People:  And  our  mouths  shall  show  forth  Thy  praise.    Amen. 

*The  Psalter — Selection  No.  45  (Page  567) 

Leader,  Mr.  F.  Stanley  Roberts 

Moderator  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica 

♦Gloria  Patri 

Reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 

Anthem:  "Glorious  Is  Thy  Name,  Almighty  God"  Mozart 

First  Church  Choir 

The  Evening  Prayers 

The  Rev.  Howard  V.  Yergin,  New  York  City 
Executive  of  The  Synod  of  New  York 

Offertory  Anthem:  "Praise  the  Lord"  (Psalm  150)  Franck 

First  Church  Choir 

Dedication  of  Offering — The  Rev.  Vernon  T.  Smith 

Assistant  Minister,  First  Church 

127 


*Hymn  No.  1 — "All  people  that  on  earth  do  dwell" 

The  Sermon 

The  Rev.  Wm.  Barrow  Pugh,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Litt.D. 

Stated  Clerk  of  the  General  Assembly  of  The  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America 

Benediction — The  Rev.  Herbert  N.  Baird 

Stated  Clerk  and  Moderator-Designate 
The  Presbytery  of  Utica 

♦Recessional  Hymn  No.  345 — "Through   the  night  of  doubt  and 

sorrow" 

Silent  Prayer  (congregation  seated  and  bowing  down) 

Ascription  of  Praise 

Choral  Response 

Organ  Postlude:  "Finale  to  Symphony  No.  1"  Vierne 


*  Congregation  standing. 

Presiding  Minister:  The  Rev.  Carlyle  Adams 

Editor  of  The  Presbyterian  Tribune 

Organist  and  Choir  Director:  Mr.  George  Wald,  First  Church 


128 


SPRING  MEETING 

Tuesday,  April  13,  1943  —  9:30  A.M. 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  Whitesboro,  New  York 


Morning  Session 

9:30  A.M. — Constitution  of  Presbytery.     Elder  F.  Stanley   Roberts 

9:35  A.M.— Roll  Call 

Adoption  of  Docket 

Report  of  Committee  on  Arrangements 

Induction  of  New  Moderator  (after  the  fashion  of  1823) 

Reading  of  Minutes  since  the  last  Stated  Meeting 

Requests  from  Ministers  and  Churches 

Appointment  of  Special  Committees 

Presentation  of  Papers  and  Communications 

Report  of  Presbyterial  Council 

Report  of  Stated  Clerk 

Report  of  Treasurer 

Report  of  Trustees 

Report  of  Brewer  Fund  Council 

10:30  A.M. — Report  of  Committee  on  Examination  of  Candidates 

11:00  A.M. — New  Business  (No  new  business  may  be  submitted  after 
this  period  for  consideration  at  this  meeting  of  Pres- 
bytery, except  as  provided  for  in  the  docket) 

11:15  A.M. — Nomination  of  Commissioners  to  The  General  Assembly 

11:20  A.M.— Recess 

11:25  A.M. — Worship  Service  and  Sacrament  of  The  Lord's  Supper 
(For  order  of  service,  please  see  page  131) 


12:45  P.M. — Luncheon  in  the  Chapel,  served   by  The  Pastor's  Aid 
Society  of  the  Church 

1:30  P.M. — Committee  Meetings 

129 


Afternoon  Session 

2:00  P.M. — Reconvening  of  Presbytery 

Election  of  Commissioners  to  The  General  Assembly 

Reports  of  the  Standing  Committees: 
Christian  Education 
Pensions 

United  Promotion 
National  Missions 
Foreign  Missions 
Social  Education  and  Action 
Evangelism 
Ministerial  Relations 

Reports  of  Special  Committees: 

War-Time  Service  Commission 

Bills  and  Overtures 

Special  Judicial  Committee 

Judicial  Business 

Nominations 

Audit 

Others 

Report  of  Committee  on  Sessional  Records 

Place  of  Next  Stated  Meeting 

Reports  of  Committees  on: 
Resolutions 
Leave  of  Absence 

Reading  of  The  Minutes 

Roll  Call 

Adjournment 

130 


SPRING  WORSHIP  SERVICE  AND  COMMUNION 

Organ  Prelude — "Solace"  Pease 

Mrs.  Florence  Hofmeister  Smith,  Organist 

*D0X0LOGY 

*Invocation  and  Lord's  Prayer 

Scripture  Lesson — I  Corinthians  1:17-29  The  Vice-Moderator 

*Hymn  No.  345— "Blest  Be  the  Tie"  Stanzas  1,  2 

*The  Reading  of  the  Names  of  Those  Ministers  and  Elders 

Who  Have  Passed  Into  the  Church  Invisible 

The  Recording  Clerk 

*Prayer  Commemoration  The  Rev.  Robert  R.  Williams 

*Hymn  of  Commemoration  No.  426 — "For  All  the  Saints" 

Stanzas  1,  2,  3 

Communion  Address — Text:  I  Corinthians  1:21   (the  text  used 
at  the  first  meeting  of  Oneida  Presbytery  in  1802) 
The  Moderator 

Conferment  of  Licensure 
*Prayer  of  Licensure  The  Rev.  J.  Harold  Thomson 

The  Administration  of  the  Sacrament 
*Hymn  No.  225 — "When  I  Survey  the  Wondrous  Cross" 
*The  Benediction 

Organ  Postlude — "Our  Redeemer  and  Our  God"  Schreiner 

^Congregation  standing. 

Officers  of  Presb>  ter\ 
1943-1944 

Moderator  and  Stated  Clerk — Reverend  Herbert  N.  Baird 

Vice-Moderator — Ruling  Elder  F.  Stanley  Roberts 

Recording  Clerk — Reverend  Frank  E.  Magor 

Treasurer — Ruling  Elder  John  A.  Jenkins 

131 


HISTORICAL  PAGEANT 

Tuesday,  April  13,  1943  —  8  P.M. 

Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  House,  Utica,  New  York 

"The  Faith  of  Our  Fathers" 

Call  to  Worship  Rev.  R.  S.  Snyder,  presiding 

Invocation 

Hymn — ''All  Hail  the  Power  of  Jesus'  Name" 

The  Scripture  Reading:  Hebrews  11:17-40.        Rev.  Walter  I.  Eaton 

The  Offering 

The  Doxology  and  Offertory  Prayer 

Hymn — "Come  Thou  Almighty  King" 

THE  STORY  OF  OUR  BEGINNINGS 

(Five  Historic  Hours  Visualized  in  Pageant  Form) 

Part  I.  Laying  the  Foundations;  Three  Elements,  later  to  combine 
to  form  the  present  Presbytery 

Episode  1 — The  Presbyterians;  A  Service  in  Whitesboro,  1786 

Episode  2 — The  Congregational  Churches  that  became  Presby- 
terian; The  Organization  of  the  New  Hartford  Church, 
August  27th,  1791 

Episode  3 — The  Ordination  of  Rev.  Bethuel  Dodd,  first  Pastor 
of  the  United  Presbyterian  Societies  of  Whitestown  and  Old 
Fort  Schuyler,  August  21st,  1794 

Episode  4 — The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Churches;  a  Prayer 
Meeting  in  the  Capel  Ucha  Society,  Remsen,  1801 

Part  II.  The  Formation  of  the  Presbytery  of  Utica;  Whitesboro, 
February  14th,  1843 

Tableau — The  Living  Church,  That  W'as,  and  Is,  and  Is  to  Be 

Hymn — "Faith  of  Our  Fathers" 

Benediction. 

132 


